


Sabezra Fics

by kayardia



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-01 23:19:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 48,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5224823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayardia/pseuds/kayardia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of fics about one of my favourite Star Wars couples - Sabine and Ezra! They're certainly going along the kanera route, and hopefully if SWR gets a third season maybe their relationship will expand from flirting and their occasional banter to something more!<br/>Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Really Happened that time Ezra was Late to Jedi Training

"Where are we going?" Sabine asked as Ezra dragged her away from the ghost, laughing.  
"You'll see. Trust me, this is going to be good. But you can't tell ANYONE. It's mine and Zeb's secret, okay? If Hera found out she'd whip my butt so hard I'd be on the other side of the galaxy by now!" He exclaimed.  
Sabine shook her head but couldn't contain her smile.  
"Well, as long as it's fun, I'm in!"  
Ezra grinned. He knew she would agree. And this would definitely boost him a few levels to sub-zero in her eyes... But he wouldn't tell her that. Play it cool, Ezra. Play. It. Cool.  
Unfortunately, 'cool' and 'Ezra' didn't seem to match, but who cared? Sabine seemed to be smiling a lot more around him these days, and if it went slowly then what the heck? He'd go with it. I mean, it wasn't as if he was in LOVE with her or anything, right? Nah, it couldn't be. Ezra didn't do 'love'.  
But there was something about her that made him trip over on purpose to see her chuckle, to have playful banter with her and annoy her just for the fun of it, and the fact that they could have silent conversations simply by looking at each other and grinning. Sometimes he even felt a tug at his stomach when they did that. Okay, so maybe he didn't know what being in love was yet. But he felt something along those lines.  
He made her laugh, and that was what he cared about. So that was his mission. Make her laugh. Be a Jedi. Become the most epic rebel ever. Yeah, things were looking up.  
Training with Kanan could wait.  
"Ezra, seriously. We're in the middle of a field out of nowhere. What could you possibly be..... oh. Oh!"  
Ezra's grin spread even wider as Sabine took one look at the tie and gasped in shock.  
"Told you it'd be good." He said, watching her reaction.  
She was speechless.  
"Ezra... You kept the tie?" Suddenly he felt a little nervous.  
"It was too much of a waste to destroy. Besides, I was hoping that you'd want to... um... paint it?"  
In response, Sabine laughed and grabbed him in excitement, making them both go red.  
"Are you serious? THIS IS SO COOL! Oh man, how did you even hide this from Hera! This is a massive bite taken out of the empire in my standards! We have to go paint it!"  
They raced towards the tie, and Ezra felt very, very smug indeed. And as Sabine brought out her spray paints giddily, a wash of excitement and... something else came over him. Something good. It made him feel warm, a gushing, steady flow of feeling, like comfort, and the fact that he really wasn't alone anymore. It was surreal. But it was true. He couldn't really describe this feeling, but he knew it felt right.  
He sensed Sabine felt it too, maybe because of his connection to other living things, as Kanan told him was his talent, or just because of his instincts. Either way, she asked him, "How would you like to try out the sprays?"  
He stared at her. It was a well known fact that while Sabine was pretty chill as far as things went, the one thing you did not touch was her art stuff. Ever.  
Even Chopper didn't dare go near it, Sabine having a soft spot for him and the fact that he'd get his oily heinie thrashed before he could even squeak.  
But she seemed pretty sincere, as she said then, "But, I'm warning you: you trash 'em, I spill the beans. Got it?"  
He saluted her, saying, "Sir yes sir! I mean, ma'am. I mean, miss. I mean - " His teasing was cut short by a playful shove, which he returned with a "Hey!"  
They set to work, Sabine getting more and more psyched up as she explained how everything worked and they started coming up with ideas, finally working the sprays onto the tie.  
And it looked fantastic! Art had always been a joke thing for him, and he'd always liked it, but Sabine showed him the beauty of it in the simplest things. He wasn't thinking about anything else, so focused was he, until the Suns started to set and he realised, "Carabast! I've got Jedi training with Kanan!"  
And darn it, he realised he had had a load of fun with Sabine, more than ever before.  
She looked up, and was she.... wistful?  
"I tell you what. Meet me here tomorrow morning and we could finish this off. Got that, great Jedi knight?" She asked, teasingly.  
It was at this moment that he knew that this wasn't just the one moment, and he grinned cockily.  
"You mean MASTER Jedi, right! See ya back on the ghost, and tomorrow!"  
He raced off, with her calling after him, "Don't be late, laser brain!"  
Sabine didn't finish spray painting it, as much as she hated to see her vision go incomplete. But a part of her wanted to wait for Ezra, and, she had to face it, she did enjoy today.  
The kid was proving to her to be not so much of a kid anymore - more like someone her own age, and Sabine hadn't had that in a long time. Sure, he could be cheeky, annoying and cocky but at the same time pretty hilarious both intentionally and otherwise!  
After what happened to Tseebo and finding out about his parents, he could use a little laughter. And so could she.  
Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing having him around. She pretty much accepted him as one of the family as soon as he came aboard, but was last one to trust him with anything. And now, she got to know him more and more, especially after he asked her to paint his helmets for him, which was kinda cute. And though sometimes she couldn't stand him, he really was a good hearted person, someone she could rely on and someone who would have her back, as he'd promised. Yeah, things were looking up, and it wasn't just the tie!


	2. Healing Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after Fire Across the Galaxy... SPOILER ALERT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T WATCHED!!

Ezra sat on Sabine's bunk in the ghost, wincing in pain. Kanan had offered to treat his cheek, but to his surprise Sabine stepped up to do the job. She patted his check with antiseptic, as he groaned. He had deflected the inquisitor's lightsaber, but it'd left two painful cuts on his face.   
"Hold still," Sabine ordered firmly but gentler than usual, as she dabbed at his cheek. He managed a weak grin and said, "Yes, ma'am. So what's in store for me, Doctor Wren?"  
She shook her head at his jokes, but said, "Well, from the looks of it, the cuts are definitely going to heal, but you will have scars."  
He joked around some more, despite feeling like his face had been set on fire multiple times. "Aw, I don't mind. It show's I'm a survivor, and plus, the ladies LOVE scars. At least, according to Zeb."  
She smirked and tilted her head "Actually, I think they look more like whiskers. So you look less like a rugged macho man and more like a loth-cat!"  
He widened his eyes and pouted, meowing. Sabine couldn't help laughing. The kid had been through so much that she didn't really think he needed the name 'kid' anymore. But, she called him that anyway, to tease him. Still... there had to be more to it. They had just encountered another Jedi, another lost apprentice. She wondered how Ezra felt about that.  
He saw her eyes grow serious and asked, "Come on. I'm not THAT bad looking with my new war wounds, am I?" She smiled again, and said, "Could be worse, hotshot. How are you feeling... about everything?"  
Ezra sighed. Ever since painting the tie together, he had gotten closer to Sabine. He let her bandage his face, and told himself he could tell her. He could trust all of them now. He could open up. "I'm just shocked. And a little happy too. That me and Kanan aren't the only Jedi out there. But... it's just that..."  
Sabine answered for him, "There's going to be a bigger challenge we're facing now. But we can make it through, Ezra. We always have."  
She surprised him again by setting the bandage and taking his hand. NO one had really taken his hand like that in... a long time. But this wasn't parental. It was... something else. He didn't let go. He put his other hand over hers. She gave him that special smile with one corner of her mouth turned up. He loved that smile. Especially when she laughed and it grew wider.   
The smile grew into a beam. Then she pulled him up, and he saw with satisfaction that he was exactly her height now. Good. He couldn't wait to be the one calling HER shorty from then on. "You up for a game of dejarik?" She asked.  
"Am I ever. You'd better have some decent credits on you because I've started beating Zeb now!" he said proudly.  
"Everyone can beat Zeb!" she replied with a laugh. He smirked. "Yes, but only I can beat Chopper. Game on, Wren." "You're gonna lose, Whiskers!" she called back, and he shook his head, patting his bandage. "You know you love them."  
They strolled off to the dejarik table as Ahsoka Tano watched them, a pang growing in her chest. It reminded her of so many memories, from the old days, the good days. Before everything turned dark. She was happy for them. They needed light in a dark time.


	3. Paint Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fic inspired by my drawing on deviantart, Wattpad and Tumblr. Enjoy!

Kanan strolled over to Hera, coffee in hand. It was early in the morning on the ghost, and Zeb was sleeping (as usual), Chopper was planning on how to wake Zeb up, and normally Ezra would be helping him... but his padawan was nowhere in sight.  
Kanan sighed in satisfaction as he plopped down and started drinking.  
"Morning, love. Have you seen Sabine? She was supposed to help me fix up the Phantom this morning..." Hera asked.  
Kanan shrugged and frowned. "Ezra's missing too. Wonder what mischief they'll be getting up to THIS time. But, we have the Ghost to ourselves again."  
Hera smiled and snuggled up to Kanan, but they were interrupted by a groggy Zeb chasing Chopper around the cabins, yelling, "THAT'S IT!!!! CHOPPER I'M OFFICIALLY GONNA KILL YOU!!!!"  
They sighed. Another normal day on the Ghost, they reckoned...  
Little did they know, Ezra and Sabine were having a little war of their own. Only this war was a bit different..  
Sabine smiled crookedly. They circled each other in the fields, holding spray paints and sprayers.  
"Ready to get your face splattered, Bridger?" she dared him, brandishing her weapon. "Not if you get hit first, Wren. And you can splatter me anytime!" He grinned, and she rolled her eyes. Once she may have found his stupid pick-up lines annoying, but now she found them endearing and ridiculous, plus, she could deliver some quips of her own...  
"Okay, hotshot. Let's see how long you last against the MASTER of this little game!" She rolled her shoulders and neck, to which Ezra responded by cracking his neck and flexing his palms. Two could play at that game.  
"You can have a head start, if you want. I'm getting bored." He said, grinning until he recieved a headshot of blue paint, covering his ears, cheeks and chin. He scowled as Sabine laughed.  
"HA! Now you look like even MORE of a blueberry!" she exclaimed, only to have a spray of green paint cover her hair. Sabine slowly wiped the paint from her forehead as Ezra guffawed. Oh, it was ON.   
"You wanna go? Let's DANCE, laserbrain!" she exclaimed, lunging for him, but he ducked, recieving only a small blast of orange on his back. "Dancing with you is fun, but I'm too fast for yoooou!" he yelled as she sprayed him again.  
Colours flew in the air, as they danced around each other. Ezra had the Force, it was true. The kid had moves, and he was good. But Sabine was a pro at this, and had plenty of her own. She flipped over him, painting his hair bright pink in the process! He yelped as his precious locks were coated in fuschia.  
She laughed even more. "Wow, Bridger. Never thought you'd look good with pink hair! It suits you!" They panted, circling each other once more. Ezra grinned cockily as he squirted her armour yellow.  
"And you said I looked good!" he laughed, and she raised an eyebrow, mock-examining him. "Well, y'see, you're an excellent work of art, but you're missing one thing."  
She flew at him, and he dodged too late. They crashed to the ground, and Sabine leaned in close, somewhat unconsciously. They were nose to nose. She noticed he'd almost stopped breathing, and for once didn't have a comment to make. Good. She leaned in even closer, if that was even possible, and before he realised what was happening, smeared a blob of red on his nose.  
"There! All better. Now you're a real masterpiece! Janor of Bith would be proud!" she exclaimed, as his look of confusion spread into annoyance. He looked like a grumpy puppy.  
She picked herself up and extended a hand. "I believe I win this time, hotshot," she said playfully.  
He growled and responded by spraying her purple in the face. She squealed as he tackled her, and they rolled on the ground, laughing.  
They walked back to the Ghost, and Ezra felt that twinge again. He was almost certain they'd had a moment back there, and from the looks of it, Sabine had felt it too. What would Hera say when they got back? He found out soon enough when they found Kanan and the pilot at the entrance of the Ghost, shaking their heads.   
Hera scolded them. "Look at you two! You're a mess! Go clean up, the pair of you!" But she was smiling, as though she had seen it all, which considering it was Hera, who had eyes on the back of her head, probably had.  
Kanan watched on with a twinkle in his eye. He had glimpsed his padawans feelings, stronger than ever. They mirrored his when he got to know Hera. Hera had treated him almost exactly the same when they had first met as when Ezra met Sabine. That was ages ago, but look where they were now.  
Ezra and Sabine went back to their cabins to wash up, but not before Sabine gave him that smile, the one with one corner of her mouth turned up like she was holding in a chuckle. It was a smile reserved for him, he knew. He smiled back and said, "Rematch, Wren. You, me, noon tomorrow. I'm gonna whip your butt." She grinned, "We'll see about that, Bridger. No dirty tactics, I promise."  
He shook his head, remembering what had happened as she laughed. They went into their cabins as the suns set on the Ghost, and they headed out for the night.


	4. Engine Room Explosion

Sabine was just starting on her new canvas when she heard a huge BOOM come from the engine room and saw a smoking, giggling Chopper wheeling out of there. Then she heard a voice cursing and yelling insults and she knew who it was. She rolled up the canvas and opened the doors of the engine room to reveal a smoking, sooty and oil smudged Ezra. He was stomping around and waving a spanner, welding goggles around his eyes. When he saw her he grinned weakly and rubbed the back of his neck. She resisted the urge to smooth his hair and instead swiped the welding goggles off his face and wrinkled her nose. "You smell even worse than normal, you look like you've had blasting jelly thrown at your face and you're... smoking?"  
He struck a pose and said, "Smoking hot?" with a grin.  
She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Was this to do with you and Zeb banging pots and pans, keeping him awake all night yesterday maybe?"   
He looked sheepish, and then annoyed. " It might have been... but he deserved it! And he made me blow up the wiring with that electric shock of his! Help me?"  
She laughed, and he pouted. She sighed and smacked the back of his head. "Fine. How can I help?"  
He grinned and put an arm around her. He was wearing Kanan's green jacket, she noticed. It suited him. But she'd never say that aloud.  
"Right this way, Dynamite Girl."  
Ezra was still a charbroiled mess, it was true. But there was something so cute about the way his fringe brushed over his bluer than blue eyes as he worked, and how he kept cracking jokes and making smart quips to make her smile. He acted like the charismatic yet clumsy thief he was, and yet Sabine could sense a lot of pain behind that jokey demeanour. She supposed beneath it was a shell of what he was before the empire took everything away from him - from everyone. To lose one's parents? She knew what that felt like.  
Ezra stole back the goggles from her as he fixed the wiring in the hull, and he definitely needed a hand. The Ghost was one dang complicated machine, he thought. Sabine's new hair colour was a surprise, too. She'd done it after the escape from the Sith Lord they faced, and she was shot. It was a miracle that her armour saved her, but Ezra guessed she figured that it was time for a big change.   
"So maybe you'll colour your hair purple the next time I almost die?" He asked with a half grin, and she smiled.   
"Maaaybe. The armour would have to be improved, too. Have any ideas?"  
Ezra coughed, "Well I did say I could give you inspiration didn't I?"  
Sabine laughed, remembering the day Ezra stole that tie fighter with Zeb, resulting in her colourful rendition of the tie and a mural of them on the wall that resulted in the pair's lasting friendship - and tussles, especially with Chopper. She turned to face him, and pulled the goggles off his face. He looked mischievous, and his eyes twinkled with naughtiness. He reminded her of a loth-cat in so many ways, especially with those scars that were barely visible under all that grease.  
"You just can't keep out of trouble can you?" She asked him. He'd grown. A lot taller than before, both internally and externally. But his humour never failed.  
Ezra grinned a wide, wide grin. "That's me. Captain Trouble."  
"Admiral Mischief" she countered.  
"Epic Master of Pranks" he exclaimed. She snorted.  
"Chief Immature more like."  
"Immature is the new sizzling hot, thank you very much!" He replied back with a huff, while tumbling over a pipe at the same time.  
They walked out of the engine room together, resuming their normal banter. Finally, Ezra faced her once again. " Uh... Thanks. You know, for helping me today. I would have been blasted by Hera if I messed it up."  
Sabine beamed. "Ha! Ze great prank master owes me!"  
Ezra rolled his eyes and said, "Maybe I could help you on another one of your art projects this time."  
She raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was kidding or not.  
Then she got an idea.   
"Noon. Tomorrow. Bring that droid arm. Chopper is going to get a surprise."  
Ezra grinned wickedly.   
"It's a date," he said, only then realising his mistake as Sabine raised both eyebrows as she walked away.  
"No no - not that kind of date! I mean a prank date or a meeting between just us two, alone or - y'know what? Never mind!!" He exclaimed as he dashed to his bunk.  
She laughed at his awkwardness, getting back to her canvas. "Go wash your face! You stink!" She called as she resumed her painting. That boy was something.


	5. Shower Pranks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read. Just read.

Sabine banged on the door of the bathroom, saying, "Ezra are you done yet? Make it quick - I don't need your toilet smell when I'm in the shower!"  
He shouted back, "Talk to the pants, Sabine, 'cause the hands are busy!"  
Sabine wrinkled her nose. "Gross, you dirtbag. I do not need that image, thanks."  
"La la la, can't hear you!" He sang as the toilet flushed. Sabine groaned. He was being annoying today. It must be the boy equivalent of having a mood swing. She heard the taps running for quite a while. What was he up to? She banged on the door again.  
The doors opened, and Ezra tumbled out, and she pushed past him, while he grinned. She had no idea that he wasn't being dirty - his hands were busy - busy filling up water balloons! Zeb was going to get a surprise, and plus, it wouldn't be any trouble for him to fling one at somebody like Lando for example. What? He knew he had a lightsaber now, but he still couldn't resist a good practical joke.  
He heard the shower running and then singing, first out of tune but then really, really good singing. Huh. She had a nice voice.  
He carried on listening for quite a while, unaware of how long it really was until the water stopped and there was a yell as Sabine stepped on one of his water balloons and slipped. Uh-oh. He was definitely in for it now. It was one thing to mess with Zeb, as he got mad easily, but calmed down alright. Sabine was easygoing and could fire back some pretty good insults - she was fun to annoy. But when she really got mad you did not want to see it. And he meant really, REALLY mad. This was one of those times.  
He was too late as a towel wrapped Sabine stood scowling at him from the now open doorway. Yikes. Angry Mando. He covered his eyes, which would have been a nice gesture and Sabine maybe would have forgiven him, but he was peeping through his fingers. "Ezra!!" she said, seriously annoyed.  
"Um.... nice voice?" He tried, and she scowled even more. "Though it was a little out of tune - okay, okay, I surrender! White flag?"  
He tried not to concentrate on the fact that she was dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel and focused more on getting the hell out of there, Ezra style, as she brandished her fists. This was not looking good.  
"Aaaaah! Have mercy on me! It was just a water bomb! That you slipped on! By accident!"  
He yelled, running away as she grabbed an empty paint can and threw it at his head. That girl had dang good aim, he thought, rubbing the back of his head as she stormed back into the bathroom to change. Normally he would have got her back, but he had to admit he deserved that one. " Keep your water bombs out of my range or I'll use them on you! Idiot!"  
He heard a yell from the bathroom. He needed to make himself scarce for a few hours, he thought.

5 hours later.

Sabine was in her room, planning revenge. Normally she didn't do much of the revenge tactic, but Ezra was in deep Anooba poop right now. So she was planning her comeback when she heard the water come on in the bathroom and another voice singing... Ezra's voice? Oh, it was. Time for revenge!!  
She couldn't wait to see his reaction as she rigged the the pink jelly to blow at her command. The moment he stepped out the door, BLAM!!!! She would press that button before he could say carabast.  
She waited with glee when she heard him singing an old song that used to be heard on the radio before the Empire. She wondered if his parents had played it to him. It was funky and fast, and the singer did remind her a lot of Ezra now she thought of it. Maybe it was just that their voices were similar or something. He did have a good voice, it was true. She even started humming along, She was so busy listening and swaying to the music she didn't even realise a shirtless Ezra opened the door and was standing right there, a grin on his face.   
"So am I a good singer or what?" He said, snapping her out of it, and she was ready to fire when she noticed the freshly painted helmet in his hands. Did he do that himself?  
Do not look at his chest, Sabine, he didn't look at yours. That much. Focus.  
He handed her the helmet, looking sheepish.   
"Um... Does this count as an I'm sorry gift? Because seriously, I did NOT mean for that to happen. I've been holding onto this for a while, and since you've painted so many for me I thought I would give it a go... It was as good a time as any to give it to you, so... Forgive me?"   
He looking insufferably cute while widening those blue eyes of his. He even pouted a little bit. Damn him! Now she was feeling all guilty for what she was planning to do. And for what she'd already done to his bunk...  
"I may be a laserbrain sometimes, but I'm not a total nerf herder." He added, and she couldn't help but laugh. It was true.   
"Okay, you dingus. But, um, you might want to step out of range, if you know what I mean..."   
They looked at the blasting jelly and Ezra winced. "Ooh. I didn't think I deserved being pink for a day."  
He smiled that cute little smile at her and she smiled back. Then he coughed, and things were normal. They walked back to their rooms and Sabine suddenly had an urge to do something.  
She looked at him, a crooked smile on her face. "Thanks for the helmet. You also might want to check your bunk. Have a nice night, Shower Boy!"  
Then she kissed him on the cheek before he even knew what had happened. She dashed away, her cheeks aflame, and Ezra's were also burning. He felt slightly giddy. He trudged back to his bunk, muttering, "It took her blasting jelly and a helmet to do that? Girls are so confusing."

Sabine disassembled the paint bomb with a fluttery feeling in her chest, the new helmet at her feet. Boys were crazy, this one in particular. He was so annoying, the most insufferable person she'd ever met, but he'd done something touching. And that felt weird and good at the same time.  
Then Sabine heard a scream from the room next door as Ezra found the piles of Zeb's fur and shaving cream in his bed. "SABIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
Her smile grew even wider as she called it a night.


	6. Flashback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where Ezra's gone on a mission and has been for some time, and Sabine misses him - although she doesn't want to admit it!Q I also created my first OC for this one so yay!

Sabine was missing Ezra. Yes, it was true. And she didn't want to admit it aloud.   
He'd been sent on a mission with Kanan, and much to his chagrin, she and Hera were stuck with Lando. Yes, Lando.  
When held first met him, Sabine had been impressed with how much he knew about art - until she started to suspect just how much of a scumbag he really was, flirting with her and Hera and ticking off Zeb, Kanan and Ezra. When he pretended, or so he said, to sell Hera, she knew how trustworthy he really was then. And it still shamed her how she practically shunned Ezra that day. As much as she didn't like to admit it, the mischievous Padawan was a hundred times better than the no good halfwit that was Lando. He was extremely funny, always mouthing off or falling over, intentionally or not. And even though he hid it under his wannabe scoundrel nature, he had a lot of heart, and he was easy to be around. Most of the time anyway. But not Lando. This guy wasn't annoying, but he sure was very tricky, conning and scamming people in a very different way than Ezra used to, or so he told her. He was charming - too charming. She knew his game. She wasn't one if those girls who would pretend to scorn him only to let themselves fall all over him. No, Sabine was a strong, independent girl. Oh, she dearly wanted to smack him in the face with blasting jelly. But she couldn't. Not yet, anyway. And she didn't want him taking the credit for any more of her 'lousy Sabine plans'. They were HER plans.  
Right now Lando was in the cockpit of the Rebel ship, trying to make passes at Ahsoka, and he obviously didn't know what he was getting into. Sabine chuckled as she heard the snippy Togruta brush him off like a fly. She admired Ahsoka, and knew there was a lot more to her story than she let on.  
She sighed and carried on with patrol. Ezra would have been making a joke, or doing something he shouldn't have been right now. He could never stop talking sometimes.  
She remembered once in Lothal when they'd gone to the market to get some fruit and a little kid was being chased by troopers. Ezra stepped in and they made an extremely witty distraction - way before he'd gotten his lightsaber, of course. And even if he had, she reckoned he'd have sorted them out the same way, to avoid detection...

"Ugh, how much fruit do we need to get this time? Because I've lived around these parts my whole life, and there is always so much fruit! Tell me, why does a planet need to have to much dang fruit?" Ezra groaned as they walked to the market cautiously, but there were less bucket heads on patrol for some reason that day.  
Sabine smirked from inside her helmet. "Maybe all that fruit is the reason why you fart so much."  
Ezra gave her a mischievous grin. He was a master at those.  
"Better out than in, they say." He replied, and Sabine fake gagged.  
"Only you could make a comeback with that one," she said, and he looked smug, until he tripped over a rock. She guffawed.  
"I'm a special boy," he said, and she gave a "Ha!" In return.  
When they had finished bartering for fruit - some of the stall owners knew Ezra well and even gave him some joguns for free - they turned into an alley, and it was there they saw a young boy, around seven or eight with dark, unruly hair flying around his face, brown and burnt skin with threadbare clothes and piercing grey eyes that made him look wild, even for a little kid. He was panting for breath, and they stopped. He looked around, scanning the buildings, and then he saw them, and prepared to make a run for it. He looked worn out, and very thin.  
Something in her heart melted. She took off her helmet and approached him. Ezra followed. For some reason he was very, very quiet.  
The little boy looked up at her and shrank back, then pulled out a stormtrooper blaster, but Sabine stopped him.  
"Who are you running from?" She asked, and Ezra and the little boy both gaped at her. How could she know?  
He hesitated, then spoke in a rush. "Three idiot troopers. Wanted my ID. So I stole some fruit from one of their crates. Bad move. They've got it in for me."   
She wanted to speak, but Ezra stopped her, grabbing a fruit from their bag.  
"Maybe not such a good thing, to steal fruit from bucket head crates. But you're very sneaky. Want some joguns? I got them free." He told the boy, who looked suspicious and doubting, but also awed and envious at the word 'free'  
Sabine stepped back, wondering what had gotten into him.  
Then the boy took the fruit, and munched on it hungrily, coating his face. He almost stopped shivering.  
There was a change in Ezra, too. He wasn't looking devilish anymore. Instead, there seemed to be sadness, and pity, and kindness in his eyes. Plus something else. He offered the kid some more joguns and they started talking, but it was a guarded, cautious conversation that eased out.   
"When'd you start living on your own?" He asked the boy, and at first the boy wouldn't meet his eyes, but then said, "A few weeks ago."  
Ezra nodded, and suddenly, Sabine understood. "Empire?" She asked, and knew the answer already.   
The boy looked so miserable, but also grateful that somebody understood, somebody knew. And she felt so angry, so furious at the empire for making another child lose his parents, to become alone, for his world to turn into a nightmare.  
"Yeah. Can I... Do you think I could have some more?" He asked hungrily, his stomach giving a pitiful growl.  
Ezra's eyebrows furrowed in sadness and he nodded, then gave the kid a small smile.  
"I could call in a few favours for you. Does the little 'loth-rat' have a name?" He asked, and the kid gave him a gappy toothed grin. "Skippy. Loth Rats are hard for imperials to catch, you know."  
Ezra's eyes sparkled. "Yeah. We're major trouble for the Emperor's Snowmen."  
Skippy laughed, and Ezra looked suddenly to Sabine much older.  
She walked behind, and was touched. She wanted to see more of what Ezra would do, and she saw the bond between them grow, slowly but unsteadily. She knew exactly why Ezra was affected in such a way: in Ezra's eyes, Skippy was a mirror image of the way he was before, little, alone, and abandoned. Ezra knew how it felt. The thing that was in his eyes was recognition.  
At the market, Ezra talked to the fruit sellers and persuaded them to watch out for the kid, and for some more free food. He was very charismatic when he wanted to be, Sabine thought.  
Ezra turned to her, speaking jokingly but also a little protectively, "Hey. Kid's gotta eat."  
He hadn't spoken to her much or flirted since they found Skippy, and that was unusual, but Sabine got it. They were delving into his past.  
Suddenly, there were shouts and three stormtroopers started yelling, "We've found him - step aside!"  
Skippy hid behind Sabine and she was about to go for them when Ezra stepped in and winked at them. "Don't worry. Loth-Rat senior has got this."  
Then he ran up to the stormtroopers and they backed up a little bit.  
He held his hands up and said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, you don't want to do that! He's not edible! I mean look at him, all stringy and skinny - not good to cook at ALL."  
Sabine got the hint and put on her helmet, then spoke to Skippy in a low voice,   
"When we tell you to run, you go hide up that building. Got it? We'll get you away from here."  
Skippy nodded, both gratefully and shocked that someone would help him.  
Then Sabine went up to the stormtroopers, who were acting confused.  
"Are you an idiot? That boy has taken Imperial property!" The tallest one yelled.  
Ezra shook his head in dismay, "But officer, don't you know? If you eat skinny little kids raw, you get so big that your 'Imperial Property' blows up - everywhere."  
Sabine nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, you can't just put them in the pot like that, you know? Some stuff just has to go out with a bang!"  
At the word bang, Sabine threw a smoke bomb at them, and Sabine yelled, "Skippy, RUN!"  
They ran on, but not before Sabine fired a stun bolt at them.  
Finally, they caught up with Skippy and Ezra led them to his old tower. Panting for breath, they walked on, and Skippy stared at the place in wonder.  
"You - you used to live here?" He asked, and Ezra nodded with a small grin. "It's where I lived for about 8 years."  
He went into the lift and they followed.  
It was the first time Sabine had actually been in the tower, and the place sure was homely. There was a sort of climbing course set all around it, and a bed and some crates of dried food. There was plenty of other stuff too. Skippy looked around in amazement.   
Suddenly, he swallowed. Tears started forming in his eyes, and he said, "You don't live here anymore, do you? You've gone somewhere else... and... My parents... I don't have anyone anymore."  
Ezra's face creased with pain. He looked at Sabine, and Sabine looked back. She felt awful, but Ezra probably felt worse.  
Then Ezra kneeled down and said to the kid, " Skippy, listen. No kid should ever be alone. I mean, I don't know whether you'd like to leave the planet but..."  
At this, Skippy shook his head violently. "I can't leave them or my home. It hurts, but I'm okay here. At least some people know me."  
Ezra's brow furrowed again, until Sabine got an idea.  
"Ezra - that farmer you saved... Mr Sumar? Maybe he'll take in Skippy?"  
Skippy looked up with sudden realisation, "My parents knew Mr Sumar - he used to give us lunch before he got his farm blasted."  
Ezra looked brighter too."Well, me and my friend Zeb saved him and his family, and he definitely owes me. I know he'll take you in. He's always wanted a grandson, and in the meantime you can stay here all you want. You ever get into any trouble, this is your safe zone. Okay?"  
Skippy looked happier than they'd ever seen him, and he said, "Okay."  
Ezra spoke again slowly, "I know it won't be the same. But at least you'll be safe. And you'll have all the fruit you'd ever want - he sells it! He's on the other side of the city, but we can definitely give you a lift."  
Sabine smiled and called Hera. "Spectre 2, we need a lift, pronto. We got a mini-Ezra to save. Spectre 5 out."  
Skippy hugged Ezra and toppled him over, shocking the boy. Sabine laughed, and Ezra did too. "Down, kid, down! Am I your cuddly toy now?"  
Skippy said through tears, his street kid act gone, "Thank you, thank you..."  
Ezra patted his back, looking happy and sad at the same time, if that were possible.  
Skippy got his first ride in a spaceship - the Phantom - and was in utter bliss. Mr Sumar was completely happy to accept him, and Ezra saving his life had a part to play too.  
When it came to goodbyes, Sabine gave him a hug and said, "Take care, kid. Don't run into anymore troopers."  
Skippy grinned. "I'll try."  
Ezra jumped in, "Cause them enough trouble without getting caught, mind you."  
Skippy looked up at him, and he didn't need to say anything for them to know how grateful he was. Ezra raise his hand for a high-five, and Skippy slapped it. He ran off waving with Mr Sumar, who had asked him to call him Uncle.  
Sabine watched on, and knew that Ezra had brought happiness to another child's life, a happiness that should have been given to him, and now had.  
They flew back, Hera smiling and Ezra looking more content than she'd seen him since their run in with the Fyrnocks. "What a day, huh?" She asked him, and he gave her a crooked grin.  
"I think Mini-Ezra is going to be okay."  
She put a hand his shoulder and said with a smile, "You did good, Ezra Number 2"  
He almost fell over with that movement, and then said, "Nuh-uh! There is only one Ezra. The Master of All Ezra's"  
"Big Boss Ezra?" She offered with a chuckle, going over to the food bag, and he shot her a pointed look,  
"Exactly! Anyway, we still have those waffles, right?"  
She froze while stuffing one into her mouth, speaking while eating, "We may have had them while ago..."  
She screamed, mouth full as he tackled her, and they ended the day with silliness.

"Sabine? Sabine!" Hera called from the front of the ship, and Sabine was jolted out of the memory. She sighed and ran over to the cockpit. Sure enough, Lando was still bothering Hera. Ack. "Ah. Sabine, could you help Lando over here assemble this unit? He's having a few problems."   
She groaned internally and scowled at the pigheaded man that was Lando, who just chuckled at her. She ignored him and started fixing the unit that Lando seemed to be 'struggling' with, and the only other person helping was Chopper. Zeb was sulking in his quarters.  
"So you're a mechanic as well as an artist? Impressive!" Lando turned on the charm but Sabine was not falling for it.  
"And I see you're incompetent as well as smooth talking so that's no surprise."  
Lando simply laughed, while Hera gave her a warning look but seemed to completely understand. This guy was impossible. She did miss Ezra, more than she should. Every memory of him came back to her, and they flooded her brain. She missed his smile. She missed his laugh. She missed that devilish grin and that mouth of his, always cracking jokes and being a sarcastic butthole. She knew he'd be back, though. He always came back. Always.

Yeah, that was long! And I couldn't abandon Skippy. The kid grew on me!


	7. Ezra Draws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick drabble set after Gathering Forces...

Ezra knocked on Sabine's door, a little more nervous than usual. What with her giving the only holo image he had of his parents that he would have left behind and thrown away if he hadn't known what it was. She'd found the time to clean it up for him, repair it and make it as clear as day. If that wasn't a sign he didn't know what it was, but he had to say thank you somehow. He hated owing people. Plus, it was the first time she'd called him his name. Ezra Bridger. Like it was something special, something worth knowing. Like he was worth knowing. Aw, dang it Ezra! He thought, shaking his head at himself. He sounded like he'd had too many meilooruns knocking his head. Now here he was, standing outside a girl's door like an idiot. A sizzling hot idiot, but an idiot none the less. Then again, when had anyone apart from himself considered him hot? Yikes.  
All evening he'd been scratching his head on what to pay back Sabine. Then he found the perfect answer in the form of drawing. He supposed he could draw something, though he was no pro. But hey, look at how accurately he'd drawn Zeb!   
The door opened with a chink! And Ezra found Sabine, armour off and arms folded outiside the doors.  
"You called for a delivery, ma'am?"  
He said with a half grin.  
Sabine raised one eyebrow and replied with, "Well, it depends on what this delivery is. For instance, if it turns out to be a stink bomb, one very dead mail boy will be going to sleep with hot pink hair tonight."  
Ezra clutched onto his hair mockingly and said, "No, no. Miss, you have one very expertly drawn picture of you and your very own mail boy! Who might I add is looking very heroic in this fine, fine picture."  
Sabine took the picture in utter shock, seeing what was on it. It was her and Ezra caught mid-laugh, from that day they had a paint fight. It was incredible - he'd caught every detail so well, their expressions, the colours - you could even hear the laughter coming out of the page. She knew why he'd done it, and for Sabine this was the perfect way to say thank you. She was speechless, until he coughed and leaned on the door beams. "Sooo, no thank you? No, 'Ezra you are the best artist I've ever seen in the whole of the outer rim!' Or 'Ezra you look hot in this picture' or - "  
She stopped him with a hug. It completely shocked him, as this was the first time she'd shown anything like this, or maybe hugged anyone in a while. Heck, he hadn't hugged anyone in years, but he did now, and hugged her back. He'd grown to her height now, and they were nose to nose, shoulder to shoulder, as they slightly swayed in the hall. Ezra's face lit up in a huge grin, and he was having weird impulses but he stopped himself. Whoa boy! He thought as she didn't break out of the hug, that's dangerous impulses you got there. You have officially earned a hug, now don't get ahead of yourself.  
Finally they broke apart, and they were both very pink and flustered, but Sabine gave a half smile. He didn't want to make things awkward so he stretched back and grinned saying, "Took you a drawing, me almost dying by the hands of the inquisitor and fainting to do that?"  
She rolled her eyes and said, "Let's just say you're not so bad to hug, okay Bridger? I didn't want you to get all broody again, and besides, it was a moment of deep weakness for me."  
Ezra laughed, and Sabine suppressed a huge beam. It was good to see him smile again. "Since when does the great Artist show weakness?" He asked with a tilt of his head. She punched him in the shoulder and grinned. "Maybe that wasn't weakness, then. Don't let it swell your head too much, Shaggy."  
He gave her a toss of his head in mock horror. "Don't diss the hair, missy. Delivery boys' hair are their pride and joy, thank you very much."  
She wrinkled her nose and stepped back into her room. "You need to work on your mail boy skills, Bridger. Goodnight!"  
He laughed again, secretly delighted with himself as he spun back to his room, that stupid tune coming into his head again. Goodnight, Sabine, the thought as he crept back to his bed.


	8. Return of the Padawan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ^ See what I did there? This one is the sequel to Flashbacks, and I really felt the need for this one. So here goes!

Sabine woke up with a yawn, shaking her head in bewilderment. She had been dreaming the same dream for a week now. Always the same: Ezra coming back. Saying some snarky comment or falling over. She internally cursed herself each time - since when did she dream about people other than her parents and the Academy?  
But no. Ever since Lando came, Ezra and Kanan had been training constantly on that Fyrnock meteor. They had some new steps in Ezra's Jedi training to cover, but not in front of Lando. And Lando was making it impossible to train - that man got everywhere. Sabine double locked her room each night and booby trapped it with stink bombs, so paranoid was she.  
But she was waiting for them to come back now. Waiting. Possible one of the most irritating and exasperating things there was. Sure, some things you had to be patient for. But waiting for people to come back? That was one she hated. They'd all had experience with people never returning - a silly thought when it came to Ezra. Ezra always came back, didn't he? Only now she started to have doubts. What was the matter with her? Woman up, Sabine! She thought, as she got herself ready. Go paint some stuff and take your mind off it!

It was about midday when she finally stopped painting the family portrait of all of them, Ezra right in the middle. Well, so much for taking my mind off of it! She groaned, as she saw her finished project - Kanan and Hera, their arms around each other, Zeb leaning on Chopper jokingly, and weirdest of all, Ezra's arm around her shoulder, laughing and cracking up as usual. They were all smiling - a rare event she wished would happen more often. These days, she only really smiled when Zeb, Ezra and Chopper were clowning around, or when she'd done a really good painting or even an explosion! Even Kanan and Hera being adorable together made her want to beam. Ezra had taught her one lesson for sure - it was better to laugh it off than stew over something for days. Have a sense of humour. It was his best defence, even after he got his lightsaber.  
Suddenly, the sound she'd only dreamt about filled the hallway - the engine of the Phantom. Could it be?   
Sabine didn't want to raise her hopes. Last time that happened, it ended up with her throwing nuts and bolts at Chopper for fooling her. Play it cool, hotshot.  
But how could her heart not thump in her chest when she heard Kanan's deep voice congratulating Ezra as he exited the phantom. She went to hug her 'space dad' as she called him, an unusual move for her. Sabine didn't do hugs, normally. But Kanan hugged her back - he did find her, after all. He saved her.   
And then she saw a familiar mop of bluey black hair, and an even more familiar grin cracked at her from stepping outside the Phantom.  
She wanted to throw her arms around him too, but he restrained herself. Don't give him too many ideas all too soon.  
He frowned mockingly, and his voice cracked slightly when he said, "What - no hug? I thought you missed me!"  
Idiot boy, she thought giddily. Wow, giddily? Pull yourself together, girl!  
Instead, she straightened, crossing her arms. "You're late," she said curtly, and he raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, sweetheart. Traffic was murder. You know how I am about rules and time limits."  
She rolled her eyes as he skipped inside the Ghost, shouting, "Honey, I'm hoooome!"  
But inside, her day got a thousand times brighter. Even Kanan smirked when he saw the beam that had unconsciously settled on her face, and that she quickly replaced with a nonchalant expression. "What? It's just good that you're both home, that's all."  
He snorted and raised his eyes to the skies. "You tell yourself that, Sabine. He definitely thinks so too."

She couldn't help grinning, however, as she saw Ezra 'accidentally' stepping on Lando's feet as he went to say hi to Hera. Not could she stop when Zeb put him in a headlock for getting the big Lasat so worried.  
"Easy there, big guy. Your best buddy is back now!"  
All was well in the ghost again. Even more so when Ezra nodded and winked at her when he said he was going to fry Lando's backside with his lightsaber because the smuggler had tried messing with his helmets.  
Maybe a dream is a fulfilment of a wish, she thought as she thanked all the stars in the galaxy for their safe return. Chopper gave his version of a hug and the blueprints of a new prank to Ezra, he'd warmed up to him so much.  
After dinner, Ezra went to say goodnight to Sabine. He found her curled up with her datapad, reading. She looked up at him and smiled - a really good expression on her. "Enjoy that headlock you got?" She asked him, and he shrugged. "What can I say? I told you guys I'd be back - it just took a little longer than I thought. Maybe too long for some people."  
He looked at her meaningfully, and she sensed he wasn't just apologising to Zeb, but to her as well. She pushed him playfully to show there were no hard feelings.  
"Ah, who cares? You came back. That's all that counts."  
He stared at her, shocked, and then pointed a finger at her accusingly.  
"Alright. Who are you and what have you done with Sabine Wren?" He asked, pretending to raise his lightsaber, and Sabine just laughed. Good to have you back, Bridger. Good to have you back.


	9. Drifting Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one I've been planning for ages, inspired by Densi!  
> Oh and to my best friend: I will find you, Mrs Charlie Day! You haven't told me your username but I know what you write so there!

Ezra groaned, tossing and turning on his bunk. Things had been pretty crap since that face off with the Miralian Inquisitor. And most of all, he couldn't sleep. Dark circles ringed his eyes, but no matter how many loth-cats he counted or lightsaber moves he tried to remember, he just couldn't drift off. His body was rejecting the constant nightmares that plagued him every time he dozed off out of sheer exhaustion.  
He decided to go to the couch in the 'living room' of the Ghost, and brought a pillow with him. It didn't help of course. Everyone else had gone to bed, and he didn't want to disturb Zeb again. But the word awake was making him punch the couch, exhausted as he was. He rolled over and growled. Sleeeeeeep, Ezraaaa! He told himself tiredly, but no sleep came.  
Then came a knock at the door, and he lay there for a second before getting up and falling over his feet, peeping outside the door. There was Sabine, smiling and wiggling her eyebrows at him and waving a bag. He opened the door and she nodded in hello. "Hey."  
He rubbed his eyes and said, "Uh.. Hey. What time do you call this?"  
She grinned and presented the bag.  
"I call it food time. I got you candy!"  
Ezra's eyes widened and said, "Candy? For me?"  
She laughed as he took the bag. "Oh man. I haven't had real Ithorian candy in years! I feel like a kid again," He said, almost excitedly.  
Sabine sat down on the couch with Ezra and opened her candy. "Mmffh. So good."  
Ezra grinned for the first time in days.  
"I hear this stuff gives you real bad sugar rush. Think it'll kill us?"  
Sabine shrugged carelessly. "Meh. You only live once."  
She brought out a blanket as they stuffed their faces and she wrapped it around them, while Ezra pushed the pillow under his head.   
Sabine switched on the holo projector and got an old movie playing.  
"This one's one of my favourites. It's an old thriller about a Rhodian, Human and Sullustan who have to break out their Dejarik buddy from jail."   
Ezra snorted and said, "That's gotta be some jail for the movie to be so good."  
She rolled her eyes but smiled at him, and carried on.  
"And their buddy has some awesome prison break skills, so when they get there it's a huge set up with explosions and blasters and...." She paused for a second, noticing that Ezra had closed his eyes and was breathing softly. She then continued with a smile, "And then the Jedi fly in and a certain clumsy padawan splits his lucky pants."  
Ezra mumbled back in reply, almost asleep now. "Must have been some tight pants for a Jedi to split 'em."  
She saw his chest rise and fall, unknowingly falling asleep. She decided to ask one more question. "What happens next?"  
He sighed and she didn't expect him to reply, but when he did it shocked her.   
"The padawan falls in love." He muttered in barely more than a whisper.  
The next thing he knew, he was asleep, Sabine's face being the last thing on his mind. He could see her so clearly - she'd healed him of his constant nightmares. Just hearing her voice next to him, speaking to him as though he were wanted and loved, was enough to send him to sleep.  
Sabine thought she'd misheard him, and asked, "What?"   
Then she reconsidered, and put her head down beside his. She watched over him for the night, held his hand as he got the first fear free sleep he'd had for months.


	10. Journal Swap (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this one is an idea I've had for aaaages. It involves two, canon and published books by Sabine and Ezra, and you may or may not have heard of them: Ezra's Rebel Journal and Sabine: My Rebel Sketchbook. And okay, they may be aimed for kids but holy smokes they are pretttttyy informative. And they are so so cute because Ezra and Sabine mention each other, duh. And feels! So I had to do them reacting to each other's writing. Now I'm not going to give away too many spoilers because of reasons you all know (NOT EVERYONE LIKES A SPOILER, KAYARDIA) but if you haven't read it it's a MUST!!! Hope you enjoy it, and sorry I haven't updated in so long. I am more frequent over on Wattpad, and will be uploading all the latest ones here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I think I should add a disclaimer, just in case Filoni decides to track me down and sue me (Please, sir! I love your work, don't do this to me!)  
> So here you go.  
> DISCLAIMER! DISCLAIMER!  
> I do not own Star Wars Rebels or the characters in these books I am mentioning. I am simply a die-hard fan who desperately wants to make this ship happen and who will write voluminous imaginary letters in her head to the makers of Rebels - seriously I love you guys. You go, glen coco.

Set after Idiots Array.

Ezra was in Sabine's room. And not in the way you think, you perverts!  
No, he was doing what he was best at - sneaking around, being a thief and trying not to fall over. His mission? Well, that was a little more complicated. He needed to get back at Sabine for the whole Lando thing (tiny personal vendetta that had nothing really to do with her, just Lando. Grr.)  
and also for a little incredibly explosive prank. Even Zeb's beard was singed with what Sabine affectionately called her 'mini spitfire' - like miniature, non-damaging fireworks that she had invented herself, and Ezra admired that. He did. But not when she put it in his hair!!! He did not need a haircut like she suggested, thank you very much. And it didn't cut his hair, just made it all smoky. It tickled way too much. Though he couldn't blame her, really. But how was he to know that stink bomb would get into her room because it was so big?   
And so he had decided to take the risk and venture where no boy - or Lasat, or droid, or anyone male - had gone before. His palms were only slightly sweating, and he knew there would be hell to pay if he got caught. One did not simply walk right in to Sabine's room. One also did not simply steal explosives from said room. That much was made clear to him from he beginning. But, he thought to himself as he shut the vent, he was never a great learner of rules anyway. He just wanted revenge. And the fire crackles. But mostly REVENGE. Oh, and that sweet, sweet day-glo slime that he'd always wanted to put in a trooper helmet. He knew revenge wasn't the Jedi way. But it was the prankster way! He gave a wicked grin as he rolled his neck, cracking his knuckles (and slightly injuring himself in the process.)  
He jumped, narrowly avoiding the booby trap Sabine had set for him. If he got caught, he could always blame his teenage impulses!  
He reached towards the safe, took a breath, and almost made it - when he, once again, tripped over a canister. Wonderful. Typical Ezra, he thought to himself, cursing in various languages. He was so close! Now he was going to get out of there and pronto! Crawling off the floor, he was just about to make his dashing escape when he spotted a dusty yet colourful book under the bed. It didn't look like much at first, but something told him told him to take a look. Deciding to trust in the Force, he pocketed - borrowed, he told himself sternly - the book for a little bedtime reading. Maybe this would have some pranks he could use! Or something. He raced back through the vent, almost giggling to himself. Maybe he didn't get what he'd come for. But he knew this was worth reading. Hey, it was training! Of a sort.

Later that evening....

Zeb was snoring. You could hear it through the walls. Which was actually good for once, because it gave Ezra a chance to get inside that book he found! Excitedly, he dusted off the front cover to reveal: Sabine's Sketchbook?  
Huh. He decided to take a peek inside.  
He opened the front cover and..... Wheew. All clear. No booby trap, the only warnings were, 'KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF, ZEB!'  
And 'DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, CHOPPER.'  
The mischievous padawan grinned. Didn't say nothin' 'bout a certain street rat.  
So he started reading, and was struck by how beautiful and meaningful even simple doodles were. Zeb, Kanan, Hera, even Chopper! She wrote from her heart, he could tell, and she was actually very funny with those sarcastic murals and witty captions of hers. Then, with a jolt of shock and delight, he found actual pages dedicated to him!  
She had, he noticed with satisfaction, etched his name literally everywhere. And her drawings of him were hilarious, and surprisingly..... um, sweet? His stomach felt weird all of a sudden, as well as him feeling smug. And she'd written in bold, 'I like his spirit.'  
That actually made his chest inflate like a puffer pig. She'd sketched him yelling, waving Kanan's lightsaber around, looking sheepish. Heck, she'd even drawn him winking! Oh, she'd got him pegged.   
'Ezra acts innocent, but I know better. He's a prankster. Poor Zeb!'  
She may have brushed off him 'attention' towards her at the beginning, but, he figured with just a slight prickle of annoyance, this was a while back. Things were a lot different, and better now. Even if she didn't admit it, she'd definitely warmed to him. Although he didn't know it, the signs were everywhere. And he wasn't 'like, fourteen' anymore! So yeah. She'd better watch out.

He felt light-headed, kind of dizzy with this new emotion. He liked her spirit - though he'd never put it like that aloud!!!!! His flirting (terrible, terrible flirting, though he'd never admit it) and joking around was all a part of his personality, and over time a friendship had formed. Sure, she'd initially been 'disgusted' by Ezra's flirtatious mannerisms, and he got frustrated by her overt seriousness. But, he'd learned that she actually had a pretty funny side two, with the best sarcastic one-liners and pointed remarks he'd heard in a while. And she'd learned that even he had a serious side.

He had gone through the whole book, and noticed the last thing she wrote was about him of all things.

"I've got my family right here on the Ghost. I know in time Ezra will realise that too."

That almost brought tears to his eyes. She took the time to restore the holo disk of his parents - the only one on the Ghost to give him a 'birthday present' that day. Maybe she did care about him a whole lot more than she let on. That was her personality. Gruff and sarcastic, just like Zeb and the anooba she mentioned, but warm, caring and free on the inside. The phoenix.

She'd built up a wall around what still was a loving, gentle and good heart. He supposed, in a way, they all had. They'd all been through so much, and now he knew. He had a sudden feeling of extreme guilt, but then passed it off.Hey, he thought as images of Sabine swirled around in his head, what are the odds that she finds something about ME?!


	11. Journal Swap (Part 2)

Sabine, once again, was banging on the door for Ezra to get out. That boy took ages to get off the freaking toilet, she thought grumpily. She stomped through the main living room and plopped into Ezra's favourite hiding spot, way back when they first met and Zeb put him in there to shut him up. Man it was stuffy in there. She didn't know how the sneaky, scrawny loth-rat did it. She was just about to get out and put him in a headlock when her foot dislodged something - a dusty old book, worn leather coating the front and back and, astonishingly, a picture of her, Zeb and Ezra on the cover. Scrawled on in thick red marker were the words 'Rebels Journal.'  
Her eyes widened. This must be Ezra's! She realised she was holding a piece of his past in her hands, but something told her to take a look. Knowing she couldn't stay in 'Ezra's Mini Jail' forever, she got out with a cough and got to her cabin for a read. Almost immediately she laughed, for it said, 'Warning: read one word and I slingshot you into hyperspace!'  
Oh, so they did have  
something in common.  
This was definitely before he got his lightsaber.  
She turned over the page and found 'Day 1' written at the top, alongside some minor logs from before.  
This must have been the day he moved into that Comm Tower. What had he been through? she wondered. He was a witty kid, she'd give him that - "I, Ezra Bridger, being of stout heart and keen mind,"  
As she went through, she laughed and puzzled over the things that were written there. He was so ridiculously cocky - not arrogant, but it were almost as if he were doing it either to make fun of himself or just to try to show off to people who might read this, including herself. That was actually one of the things she liked about him - his boasts were never sincere - they were just as ridiculous as he made them sound. All his jokes were, even the really stupid ones. He wasn't an old smoothie. He made little fails in attempts to be smooth. And actually? That was darn funny and also kind of cute. He had flaws, and you could see that. But he did his best to hide them with his idiotic jokes.  
She snickered. "Fort Ezra. Pfft."  
The thing was, alongside the jokes, he wrote some stuff which made him seems like a person who had a lot of deep appreciation for things. One thing she liked was when he said, "I like to sit up top and look out in every direction. Especially when the moons are out."  
It was funny, she used to do the same thing back on Mandalore. It made her wonder about that tranquil, soulful side of him, as well as the mischief. The side that was stronger than even Kanan when he used the Force. The Jedi side.  
But he also had a lot of pain.  
One thing she quickly got was how untrusting and suspicious of everyone he was. She couldn't blame him. Another especially saddening thing was how truly alone he was. It must have been torture, stuck inside that tower, the only safe place he really knew. He had some good days, fun days and good days. He had some pretty awful ones too.  
She also marvelled at just how good his art was. She told herself to never underestimate him again. His sketches were beautiful, detailed and he had an incredible style. She kicked herself for what she said yesterday when Lando came.  
Then she stiffened. Ezra had sketched a picture of a red-haired girl in a sailor style suit. 'Moreena.'  
Who was she? A girlfriend or... No. They were friends before she had to leave him to go to Alderaan. Huh. Oh, who cared? Why was she bothered? This was in the past. Moving on. As she turned the pages, she delved deeper into his past. He teamed up with Bossk?!?  
She never knew Bossk called him 'shorty'.  
It was heartbreaking when  
everyone he knew left him.  
Bossk left. Ferpil died in his arms. Moreena, whoever she was, escaped to Alderaan. That poor, poor kid. They'd all been through so much, but his story touched her in places she thought would never warm again.  
Then she turned the pages where he met them that day, and his life changed forever.  
She laughed out loud, literally, as she saw how he described and drew Zeb, 'The Big Stink,' Kanan as 'Mr Tough Guy,' and he twisted 'Garazeb Orrelios' into 'Gasbag Old Loser.'  
It was a good job they were friends now, because if Zeb found this he would murder the kid. He really was an annoying little street rat at this point, and she remembered that day all too well. She recalled her first words to him, commenting on his 'gutsy moves'.  
She most definitely remembered the little flirt's face the moment to whipped her helmet off and started shooting. That boy never wasted an opportunity, she thought, grinning slightly as she turned the pages. She liked how he'd gotten a great picture of her explosion - although he really was so cocky in thinking they'd be toasts if he didn't help them out. Ha!  
Alright, maybe his jokes and flirts emerge kind of.... Cute?  
So she'd get him on the next mission by teasing him back, thoroughly. Whatever the case, he was the most ridiculous, annoying, sarcastic, insufferable, and unique person she'd ever met.  
But she knew he had a big heart and a lot of strength, as well as kindness. People took pain in different ways. Some, like her and Zeb, toughened up, becoming more sarcastic and more protective. Others, like Ezra a even Kanan (pre-teacher mode) resorted to jokes, wishing off and being a general smart-ass. However, Ezra unlike Kanan was so adorably clumsy, his finest moment (and most life threatening) was when he fell off the Ghost, slid down the nose gun with his face squished against the glass, and still managed to give her a grin before screaming as he fell through the sky.  
Although he didn't know it, that boy was a born survivor. Somehow he pulled through whatever  
struggle they went through.  
One thing was sure: his  
sketches of Zeb rocked.  
When Sabine turned to the next page, she saw herself and got a warm bubble of feelings in her stomach when she saw it and read through. "Seems pretty alright I guess," was the nearest he would get to a, "She's totally amazing," at this point.  
He should haves shown her his drawings, she thought, and a secret smile formed on her face as she saw how he'd gotten hold of one of her drawings (he was such a little thief) and how he wanted to show her something 'not weird.'  
She sensed he didn't put too many details in, but you could just tell what he was thinking. Things he wrote were both hilarious and silly - "Liberation of Lothal,"  
"The Rise Of Ezra."  
She loved it when he recorded the events of the Kessel run and drew the Wookiees. He said, about her, "She doesn't just create EPIC, DEVASTATING explosions, she makes them look pretty too!"  
Most amazingly was his drawing of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It was intense - sketchy yet detailed, beautifully shaded do you didn't even need any other colour to see what he saw. Every hair stood out, every line and every crease in his cloak. Sabine was blown away. The kid was incredible.  
She made a silent, solemn promise to never judge him on art again - he kept it to himself, but he didn't have to know art to be an artist.  
She beamed at the 'selfie' at the end, when he said, "I hope you learned something. Then make a fortune selling this. Oh yeah, and trust in the Force."  
She smiled. She had learned something, more about him.  
Sabine placed the book in her drawer and rolled over on the bed. Switching the music on on her helmet, she listened as she thought of Ezra, and all the things she'd read.  
Maybe that loth-rat wasn't so bad after all.


	12. Rescue Attempt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ezra sacrifices himself to save Sabine and close the doors on her to protect her from the Inquisitors in Always Two There Are, what are her thoughts? A very short oneshot I wanted to do after the episode.

Gone. That was her first thought as she sprinted off and her head was ringing, accompanied by that heart breaking, gut spiking feeling of guilt. Ezra was gone.   
She cursed herself, kicked herself, banged her helmet on the wall. How could she have let this happen? Her eyes nearly got watery, but she forced herself to stop. She could not break down. Not now. She had to find Ezra. And find him fast.  
Images of him whirled in her head. What was happening to him? The inquisitor was probably torturing him... Or worse. Oh carabast...Sabine didn't want to think about what they were doing to him. That moment, when he pulled her up, that moment when he touched her shoulder, giving her a slight look of affection. That might be the last contact she ever made with him if she didn't do something. The last time she ever would see him smile unless she got out of there and found him. Again, she asked to herself, why wasn't she prepared? It was all her fault. If she hadn't protected them both, hadn't been knocked out, hadn't let the   
inquisitor drag him away...  
The loss she felt was incredibly, surprisingly deep. It burned away inside her, and her insides felt like jelly. Because of her, that once cheerful, mischievous boy might be a hollow shell of what he once was.  
Then there was a tiny voice that sounded about like Zeb in her head that said, it's not your fault, nothing could have prepared you for that. You have to be the person you aspire to be - use your pain to your advantage and let it give you the strength to get him back! He's yours. The inquisitors can't have him. Let that be the spark to the flame that is your courage. You're Sabine Wren! You don't take crap from no one! What did he say to you once? "Sabine! I've got your back!"  
And you saved him! You need to have HIS back! Because that's what partners do! Remember his smile. Remember his laugh. Remember the sound of his voice and his pranks, his jokes. This is the fuel to the fire. You are a warrior! Ain't no one is gonna be taking him! Now let's go get our boy back, sister. Go go gooooo!!!

She got to Zeb and told him what happened. They couldn't call Kanan, for fear of compromising the rebel fleet. But they could plan a rescue.

Okay. Getting to where Ezra was being held was what she was going for. Being captured was not part of the plan!  
And Zeb... She didn't know what they'd done to him. But he didn't stand a chance.  
Their only hope now was that Ezra hadn't told the secrets of the rebellion to the inquisitors. And he hasn't. Because he was too busy being a smart mouth, irritating the heck out of the inquisitors.  
What they had done to him, she couldn't tell. He was strong, stronger than she had ever expected. But she knew that he'd pull through. And now they were both stuck in this mess. Then, they got a transmission from Zeb!  
She leaned her head close to his as the inquisitors pressed them to talk to 'Commander Meiloorun', reassuring them everything would be okay. But it wasn't. Ezra wouldn't tell Kanan and Ahsoka to come. He wouldn't give away the rebellion. Sabine suddenly had a red lightsaber to her neck and Ezra flinched, panicking. One thing was sure: Ezra would NOT let her die. And when Zeb saved them a few moments after, Sabine knew one thing: she could trust that boy with her life, any day, any time. He really did have her back.


	13. Flying Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's up people it's me again! I got a request from the wonderful @pepoluan on Tumblr so thanks pep!!!  
> Hope you guys enjoy this one - it's set after Brothers of the Broken Horn, and obviously Ezra isn't as good at flying as he thinks he is!!

Ezra, Zeb and Chopper were messing around near the Phantom, as usual. They were bragging to each other about who could fly the best, run the furthest and shoot the most storm troopers under a minute when Sabine walked up to them. Boys, she thought, shaking her head as she heard Zeb exclaim, "Yeah, pipsqueak, but Force powers don't count! I'm still stronger!"  
"Oh yeah?" Ezra responded mischievously, "But you still can't fly the Phantom like I do."  
Sabine chuckled as she got to them. "Ezra, you can't fly the Phantom at all! Chopper told me how you got a great fat scratch down the side of the poor ship."  
Ezra scowled at the cancerous little droid and said, a little annoyed, "Chopper you little snitch - that was supposed to be our secret! Se-cret!"  
Sabine laughed as Chop gave back his gloating reply. "He says he had his fingers crossed the whole time. Besides, me and Chopper are partners in crime. You should know that by now, Whiskers. I could show you how to do the basics of flying."  
Ezra gave a sarcastic little laugh and said, "FYI, astromechs don't have fingers. And of course I can fly! I could do loop de loops with my eyes closed!" Zeb scoffed and said, "I'll be back with some waffles to watch you fail."  
Sabine sighed and folded her arms, muttering cocky idiot as she got to the controls of the shuttle.  
"Lesson number one, flyboy. Know how to start and stop properly. Sit."  
His saluted her mockingly and said, "Yes, ma'am, whatever you need ma'am," but still sat down anyway. It was a lesson with Sabine, after all. And he would flirt and joke away, as usual.  
She came up behind him and said, "Okay. Slowly and carefully, then make your move and go up."  
He started the Phantom and it shuddered, moving out and up. Chopper gave his usual electronic cackle as they moved out. Slowly and carefully, Ezra, he told himself, breathing out. Then you can do some real tricks.   
He flew, and suddenly she moved to him, placing her hands over his and guiding him. He felt his breaths quicken, and his pulse too. He'd matured enough so that he could hide his blush whenever she praised him, which seemed to be more and more these days, but these feelings erupted out of nowhere. Yay, hormones!  
"Congrats, hotshot. You managed not to scratch the Phantom again."  
He laughed, a little shakily. "It's all thanks to my amazing teacher."  
She grinned playfully. "Yup. Now let's take this bird for a spin."  
The Phantom soared above the clouds of Garel, and into the atmosphere. The planet was nice looking, but not as beautiful to Ezra as Lothal. For him, it would be the most special and most heartbreaking planet.  
He got a little more daring, flying the ship at faster speeds than before. He kind of understood Hera's passion for flying now. Kind of. It was fun. And Ezra was always up for fun.  
Not to mention there was a very pretty but very dangerous girl right behind him, holding his hands and guiding him as he flew, making his heartbeat flutter like some hyper butterfly. Y'know. No biggie.  
She raised her eyebrows, impressed as he dodged some passing creatures in the sky. Taking her hands off his, she said, "I'll admit, I'm slightly impressed. You got some smooth moves, Bridger. Maybe I underestimated you."  
He grinned impishly. "Of course you did. I'm special that way. And you didn't have to take your hands off, as much as it was hard to resist this."  
She rolled her eyes and pretended to sigh, but she couldn't help smiling slightly. "Dream on, sunshine."  
He grinned even wider as he did what he always wanted and made a loop de loop with the Phantom. He know that if he scratched the ship up even more Hera would go into a super-scary-mom rage and make him fix, clean and buff the Phantom with a toothbrush, as well as his room. But, with Sabine around, he knew she probably wouldn't let him crash. Probably.  
They flew above the clouds, below and they could see a massive sea just after the city. Sabine thought the colour matched Ezra's eyes perfectly - that same brilliant blue. The city's reflection glittered like an ancient world underwater.  
(Authors note: This is where you guys insert 'A Whole New World' from Aladdin playing in the background.)  
They crossed back over the sea and near to the port where the Ghost was parked.  
The Phantom lurched, and he gave a "Whooaaah" but Sabine grabbed Ezra's hands again and steered it back in control. "I gotcha!" She exclaimed, and they laughed as they remembered when Ezra nearly fell off the AT-TE and Sabine said those same words.  
They stared at each other's eyes for too long, and the phantom screeched to a halt as Chopper made his own version of a wolf-whistle.  
"Oh, shut up Chopper." Ezra growled. They were now approaching the entrance of the Ghost. Ezra suddenly felt nervous, as Sabine was waiting expectantly for him to park. He coughed and turned to her. "Sabine. Jokes aside, um, can you... I mean it's just for this time but...wouldyoumaybesortakindahelpmeparktheship??"  
Sabine's eyebrows flew upwards and she choked out a laugh. "What??!?"  
He coughed again, turning bright pink. "What I meant was... Do you mind showing me how to park the Phantom?"  
She laughed with glee, "So the great pilot needs a hand parking after all!"  
He looked embarrassed until she manoeuvred his hands and resisted the urge to smirk as he moved forward. "That's it - slowly, laserbrain." Sliding the Phantom in without a scratch, he whooped with joy, jubilant, and Sabine's eyes twinkled.   
"Skilfully done, apprentice. Flying lesson number one is complete."  
He raised an eyebrow and grinned his usual grin. "The student has become the master, once again."  
She huffed, flexing a quite prominent muscle.  
"Please. You can't beat me, or for that matter Hera."  
He shuddered internally but said, "Oh it's on, Paint Girl. You wanna get some training wings if you're gonna go up against me? You've seen me fly but you ain't never seen me race!"  
They shut the door of the ship and he felt the urge to say something. "Oh... And thanks. For the lesson. It was actually pretty amazing. Now Hera won't have a reason to fling me into hyperspace."  
She smiled that little half smile at him, and said, "Anytime, Whiskers,"  
His stomach clenched and it felt like a thousand loth-cats were parading around in his insides. Dang, Ezra, he thought to himself a little smugly. Their relationship had really progressed way back from his awkwardness and her dissing him. They could tease each other for hours, and though his hears would beat like a crazed hummingbird around her, he still joked and flirted, being less awkward - though he still managed to fall or get knocked over whenever he was around her, much to her amusement. That girl was magnetic with her pull on him, he thought. Lando had given him an non-literal but totally intentional slap on the face when it came to flirting and Sabine. He had to be SNEAKY. And Ezra could do sneaky. Now all he needed was to get taller! Come on, puberty train, he thought a bit frustratedly. You can hit me any one of these days!  
Being a powerful soon-to-be-Jedi also helped with his chances, he supposed.   
The walked out of the Phantom together, his hand in her shoulder (a signature sneaky-flier move of his) with Chopper in tow, warbling.


	14. Hand to Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by one of my favourite ships, densi, and this has an aspect of Rebels that was featured in a New Dawn when Kanan fought Count Vidian, unable to use his lightsaber or the Force because he had to keep his secret.

In the very back of the Ghost, the crates were piled away, speeder bikes pushed to the side and a red and black mat was sprawled on the floor with a faded mandalorian logo on. Ezra and Sabine walked to the mat, their wrists strapped and ready to go. The reason? Sabine had decided it was time he knew combat training, on top of blaster training and lightsaber combat. Just in case he didn't have enough to work with already. Man, these guys were building him up to be a lean, mean, fighting machine. From his perspective it was a lean, sleepy, falling over machine. Talk about overworked! He needed a pay raise or he'd file a complaint. But who was he kidding - he didn't get paid. As Sabine put it, "You need to know hand to hand combat. Yes, I know Rex is giving you blaster training, Kanan is doing Jedi training, but I figured you might need basic combat training if all else fails. I know you're good at sneaking around and dodging hits, so you can definitely use that - but you gotta be prepared for everything. There are times when you can't always whip out your lightsaber and bust some moves."  
He got that alright. Or maybe she just wanted to see how quickly she could flip him on the ground. Whatever the case, he was more than alright with it - even if he ended up being squished to a pulp. She was right, in any case. His first instinct was to duck, dodge and evade. This worked when it came to not being hit and taunting his opponents - his force sense made him exceptional at that. He might be faster, but Sabine was good. She punched hard (not that he let himself get punched too often) and the Force could only do so much when it came to grappling. But be was a fast learner, and being a street-rat helped completely.  
First round, ding ding ding!  
"Ready to feel the thunder, Bridger?" She dared as they circled each other once again, only this time there were no weapons - just their bare hands. They locked arms, no running away. Ezra flashed a devilish grin and exclaimed, "Ready? I was born ready, Wren. Prepare to be incinerated by my hotness!" She rolled her eyes and prepared herself. This was going to be easy. "I doubt that, laser brain. 3, 2, 1, go!"  
He yelled, "Aahh!" As she went for him, tackling him to the ground. She pinned him down and grinned. "What were you saying, your Royal Hotness?"  
She gave a yelp of fury as he rolled over, locking his legs around get. Ugh, why did she have to teach him that move?  
"I say you can call me that anytime - oof!" He got the wind knocked out of him as she elbowed him in the stomach and put him in a headlock. He tapped, and she let go. He bent over, clutching his stomach as she put her hands on her hips, feeling smug. He held up a finger and looked up. "Alright, alright, you win this round - but I know your moves now."  
She scoffed and balled her fists, getting into position. "Please. You have not seen all of my moves, Whiskers. You need to try and get out of my choke holds quickly - go again."  
This time he was faster, sliding to the ground and pulling her with him. She got up but he kicked her legs from beneath their and they tussled. He managed to get her into an arm bar, and raises her arm up until she tapped. She growled and he gave a hoot of triumph. "Yeah! Who's the Jedi? I'm the Jedi! Take that sucker! Can you smell that? It's the sweet smell of victory!"  
She texted her head and stretched her arms. "Okay, Bridger. You got lucky and remembered the arm at. This time I'm taking you down."  
She grabbed his arm and before he had time to even think, oh carabast, she grabbed his arm and flipped him on to the ground. "Can you hear that? It's the sweet sound of you losing."  
He swept his feet under her legs and she rolled before he grabbed her round the middle while she choked back a laugh. "What - the seasoned warrior is ticklish?" He asked mischievously, poking her ribs. She scowled before laughing and telling him to stop. "Idiot Boy hahaha - do that one more time, Bridger, and I will floor you."  
He poked her again, and her eyebrows flew up, bursting into laughter. "That's it. You are so dead."  
He got up and ran, muttering to himself, "Whatever happens next, so worth it!"  
She chased him around, but this was his skill. He pushed over the crates to stop her, but she jumped over them, seething. He almost made it to the vents, but she grabbed him from behind and sat down, pinning him to the floor. Their eyes met, and he had to hold back a laugh. Even when annoyed she was seriously pretty - not in a holy jogun you're smokin' way but in a natural, no make-up way. She probably didn't even know it. Her brown and amber eyes glittered with amusement and she had the tiniest mole on the side of her face. How had he not noticed that before? He really wanted to touch it. "Who's the Mando?" She asked him gleefully, and he groaned. "You're the Mando. Happy now?" He asked, wincing a little as she helped him up. "This means I won. You know that, right?"  
He scowled as they walked out. "Not fair." She grinned as she waltzed through the corridor. "I wo-on, I wo-on!"  
He called out to her, slightly annoyed, "I should have used the Force of you were gonna gloat like that. Not fair!"


	15. Nightmares and Daydreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after Legacy, Ezra is down with a fever because of everything that's happened to him - and he's a little delirious.

Ezra was not in good shape. Lying in his room, which was now the sickbay of the Ghost since Zeb was temporarily moving in the Kanan, much to the Jedi's chagrin. Ezra had years of being alone on the streets to build up his immune system, fending for himself. He's survived mainly unharmed. Then he'd joined the ghost and faced not one but 3 inquisitors. Three! And he's been okay! Well, mostly. The scars on his cheek proved otherwise.  
Then he had to rescue babies, BABIES. Did that take him down? No! But what did was a stupid fever. And it was bad.  
"You're overtired," Kanan told him as he lay in the bed, mumbling nonsense drunkenly. "Your immune system has taken the night off. Rest, and you'll pull through, kid. You'll be okay. You've had a huge shock to the system, what with coming back to Lothal. We've got meds, you just need to rest it out."  
But resting meant sleep, and that only brought on nightmares.  
Nightmares about his parents, the Empire, the Inquisitors torturing him, the children, his parents, and watching every member of his newfound family die or be tortured in some twisted, horrible way. His mind produced terrible things in those nights, and he blamed no one but himself and his flaws.  
He knew there was anger and fear deep inside him, heightened by the things that has happened to him and brought out only when memories of his parents being taken away and the thought of his family having the same done to them emerged.  
So he usually suppressed them, used humour to hide the pain. And it worked. Smile and joke even when he didn't feel like it. But when he had a boiling temperature, the pain rose to the surface and consumed him. Hera nursed him as much as she should, Kanan soothed him, Zeb tried cheering him up, bringing his his favourite waffles and milk, saying with a snort, "Don't be stupid - Lasats don't get sick! I won't catch anything from you."  
Even chopper brought his favourite holos to show him. And he was grateful. But the night and it's darkness brought in terror, and the only one who could calm him down, the only one who listened to his delirious moans was Sabine. And she entered the room now, as Ezra was ranting to his new buddy the table about how he 'wasn't a nice guy.'  
He looked up and out of the blurry haze he saw her, feeling a stab of pain and then relief amongst the confusion of feelings as she walked in. "You can put the drinks down, guys - a lady just entered the room. But I get to drink, since - I'm not a nice guy!"  
With that he sloshed his water all over his face and Sabine groaned, mopping his face up and grumbling as she tucked him in. At least he wasn't vomiting his guts out, she thought with relief.  
"Ezra you're delirious with fever - and you're talking to a table! Who says you're not a nice guy?"  
She sat on the bed and smoothed his hair back as he mumbled, "I do. And Mr Table agrees, don't you buddy? I suck. I suck worse than any of you. I'm not a Jedi. I have stupid emotional problems like some kind of dark side rodent that Kanan needs to tame. The inquisitors would love me. I can't control my emotions around my family, I'm useless with controlling the Force and I have KRIFFING abandonment problems. I'm junk. I'm not a nice guy."  
Sabine's eyebrows clenched and her heart pained. She brought out the medicine and a cloth, wiping the sweat off his boiling forehead. The poor boy was hurting inside, and hurting badly. The fever brought out the worst in him.  
"Maybe I could have stopped the troopers who took my parents. Maybe I could have tried to not let them be taken away, instead of depending on innocent people like Tseebo. I blamed him, for no reason. Instead of blaming everyone else, there's only one person at fault here: myself. And I was too concerned with my own well being to protect the people around me."  
He continued rambling on, telling her how he was worthless and selfish and stupid till she couldn't bear it anymore and fed him the medicine to take away some of the pain. He talked about his fears most nights, sobbing himself to sleep when he was vaguely aware that she'd gone. He still had some dignity while sick, he thought amid the fog in his brain.  
She grabbed him, wrapping her arms around him and shocking both of them. "Shut up. You are not worthless, Ezra Bridger. I know what you're feeling. We all do. That same guilt consumes all of us, every day. Kanan lost his master and all of the Jedi. Zeb lost his planet and his people. I lost my parents, who like you were my world. But no matter what, there is always hope. Underneath the hurt, you are a good, good person. However bad your jokes are or how moronic you act. Maybe those are good things. Maybe I kind of like those things."  
He shook his head vigorously and said, "I'm not, I'm not," but Sabine held him close. Hoping he wouldn't remember this in the morning, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, still feverishly warm but cooling down rapidly. The kiss had a magical effect on him, almost. He blinked and sighed, then his eyes focused. "You're gonna get my germs now. So sit tight, cause then I'm gonna have to take care of you!"  
She smiled, seeing some of the old light back in his eyes. "Sleep, Whiskers. You'll feel better once you REST."  
He smiled back sleepily, and closed his eyes as she gave him the last of the antibiotics. He saw her again in the back of his eyelids, saw how despite her denials she truly cared for him. I don't deserve her, he thought, but the sight of her smiling down at him, the feel of her fingers in his hair, stroking his forehead, his scars, just knowing she was there, beside him. The light in the darkness that might have been his doom, she was his everything in those moments. And he couldn't have been more glad.


	16. Smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A different sort of fic from Ezra's perpective about the kind of smiles he knows and loves. This was for the end of 2015 just after Legacy and TFA (WHICH WAS AMAZING!!!!) So here we go.

miles don't come often in the Ghost, but Ezra knows them when he sees them. He watches for them, almost unconsciously, and what he sees is different each time. Kanan and his snarky, sarcastic smile, the cocky smirk he uses when bamboozling bucketheads, those are fun. But the real smile, the one that pops out whenever Ezra does something right for once in his training, or when Hera expresses her love for him and he for her - or even laughing at Zeb during a game of dejarik - those surprised smiles are the ones Ezra looks for, rare as they are. They light up his face and show that inside the swaggering cowboy is a pure, happier soul, the boy that was once Caleb Dume. That smile makes Ezra feel happy and yet sad at the same time, as it reminds him of a happier, more civilised time.  
Hera is a different story. The calm, tranquil composure hides a fearless bird of prey, diving for the kill, and a terrifying mother wampa protecting her babies. She has a kind, nurturing smile, the one that made Ezra know for sure that she could look after him. She has a ferocious death glare that could scare even Zeb. But, as Ezra found out through his first time flying freely with her, her true smile came out when she flew, high, high above the clouds and into space, when and only when there were no imperials to run from (every rebel's dream), nor any concentration to stay alive needed. It was here that he saw the pure exhilaration on her face and the wide, excited smile that shine through the mask of calmness like a new beacon. She even has a special smile just for Kanan, which Ezra and Zeb giggle like little girls whenever they see. Hera really does have more smiles than any of them, because she sees the best and brightest in everyone.  
Zeb has the loudest laugh, the widest grin and the biggest heart. He acts like the grumpy Lasat he is, but Ezra knows better. Zeb is one big fur ball of laughs and he, Ezra, knows it. Not for nothing has Sabine labelled him, Zeb and Chopper the 'delinquents', as they are the ones who get into the most trouble together. Even after all he went through, Zeb knows how to fool around, though he's certainly the toughest one out of all of them. His smile appears often, and is a stark contrast to the normal grouchy expression on his features, and for Ezra this makes it all the better when he pranks him and Zeb retaliates, chasing him around the Ghost, Chopper electrocuting him, them both chasing Chopper, him sitting on top of Chopper and bashing him with a spanner, yada yada yada. It's all worth it, even when they get in trouble together with Hera and try to act innocent. Zeb's real smile takes over his whole face, and his green eyes glow with joy. It's a real thing to see.  
Sabine... Well, Sabine is another story. It's known in the crew, especially Zeb, about his, um, attraction to her. How could he not? It's not as if spending more time with her, them becoming friends and teasing him back when he flirted and them generally going on missions, arguing and more and more 'having each other's backs' as he put it was going to change that. No, if anything it makes them stronger, more potent - and that causes him minor problems. She doesn't smile very often, acting all gruff and grumpy and sarcastic, very much like Zeb. But they come out. The half smile and the eyebrow quirk she obviously copied off him whenever she dares anyone, storm troopers or a blaster wielding Chopper. That little smile she shoots him whenever he does something stupid that looks like she's trying not to burst out with laughter makes his stomach do a triple backflip. When she does laugh out loud, a clear happy sound, his stomach adds a flying somersault to that mixture and his heart goes ka-BUMP.  
Her laugh is spectacular, a series of chortles and giggles, crinkling her eyes up at the corners, and his heart melts a little when he has the privilege of ever seeing it. He doesn't mind her laughing at him, so long as he gets to see it. So the stupid pranks and jokes, the tripping over (completely unintentional, actually) and the wisecracks - if it cheers her up after a day of bad memories, that would be his victory.  
Her true smile is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, and he marvels at it when he even gets a glimpse. Maybe she's alone sometimes, but when she shows them her pieces, or wins a shooting competition or, he'll, even a waffle eating competition, that's when the beam comes out. It spreads across her face, white teeth gleaming and her looking the happiest she ever has. These smiles make him wonder what life could have been like before the empire, and if he could have seen more of them. They don't know it, but he treasures them like he treasures his prized helmets, and he never wants them to go away, or be taken from him. He'll protect those smiles - after all, his dad used to say to him whenever things got too down, "Life's a joke. You can either reject it, not get it or laugh it up, and tell another one."   
He was determined to live by all of his parents teachings, to stand up for others and to keep happiness, no matter how dark things got.


	17. Through the Eyes of a Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabine gets a little jealous, and Ezra is moody. Set during A Princess on Lothal (LEIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Leia thought he was just a scrawny rebel loth rat when she first met him. She realised that he was Ezra Bridger only when she saw the pain on his face as he saw the picture of his parents. Oh, she thought as he sat there, failing to escape wiping his eyes. When she'd first met him, there was instant dislike. Just another rebel wannabe, she thought. She was a princess on a mission - she didn't have time to even have a conversation with this scrawny boy with a bad temper But after seeing him interact with the other members of his crew, she was sure she wasn't seeing his real personality. And she felt pity for him, sarcastic as he was.  
So as she sat and talked to Sabine Wren, the Ghost's resident artist, Mando and explosives expert, she realised a lot more about him. And from what she noticed, from when Sabine put her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, she saw deep love and caring. Though Sabine wouldn't mention that, of course, but Leia was intuitive. Slowly and surely, she opened up, and Leia sensed it was hard for her to do so, especially with someone she'd just met. But she liked the older girl.

"I know he seems moody and snarky right now, but this isn't normal. Actually he's very funny, and can be kinda clumsy (which is always hilarious) and though he can be the most annoying person on the planet, what with his flirting and joking around, he's a good, kind person."  
Sabine said this a little protectively, almost fiercely, and when Leia raised her eyebrows Sabine went a little pink and said quickly, "What I meant was that he's been through a lot over the past few days and... I know he's a cocky kid, but give him a little slack."  
Leia said she would and smiled just a little as she saw what was behind those words. Sabine was gruff, closed and not the best at hiding her feelings. And you could tell just how much she really cared for the boy, however much she didn't say it. Leia could just tell from seeing the deep concern in her eyes that she had a big heart, and was incredibly warm under that tough exterior.

Sometimes it was hard to remember this princess was a teenager, even younger than she, Sabine. Leia had guessed more about her that Sabine would have liked, but it didn't matter. What was important was seeing if Ezra was okay. As she had comforted him before, she would do it again.

After Leia talks to Ezra.

"Hey,"  
Sabine said softly as she walked into the nose gun turret. It used to be Sabine's shooting area, but ever since she gave Ezra the holo image of his parents, they shared it. A bond was formed on that day, for the second time since Ezra had arrived. He turned around, and the light in his eyes seemed to brighten slightly.  
"Hey. How'd your girl talk with her Royal Highness go?Because she gave me a pep talk too."  
She rolled her eyes and sat next to him, pushing him along, to which he responded by grinning slightly and pushing her back.   
"She's not that bad, you know. Girl to girl, underneath the prickliness, she's actually really strong. Passionate. Not afraid to nab a buckethead in the junk."  
He winced and said slyly, some of his old energy coming back, "So I suppose you wouldn't mind if she did that to me then..."  
Sabine's eyes widened and he burst out a small chortle. "Kidding, kidding, jeez she's too cold. All bossy, 'It's your HIGHNESS - bow to me!'  
kind of thing. Not my type."   
She scoffed and said "I wouldn't know what you're talking about, but okay. So where do we go from here?"  
He gave another mischievous small grin and said, "We? Because I have plenty of ideas - I mean..." He added hastily, seeing her expression and saying with some difficulty, "I'm just gonna try to - um, to take them with me. They - they died for me, and everyone else on Lothal and the other worlds under the Empire. I - we have to carry on what they started, I guess. Why do you ask?"  
She smiled, a real, caring smile he hadn't seen in ages. His heart lifted just a little.   
"I'm asking because I don't want you turning into a wreck. And I can tell you things will be better."  
Ezra scoffed, "Who, me? A wreck? Didn't know you had psychic powers."  
She gave him another little smile and then said, "Good to have you back, Bridger."  
He smiled back and said, "I was always here, Wren. I'm always in your thoughts, aren't I?"  
She rolled her eyes and walked out, but couldn't help letting out a small chuckle as she went.

Sabine watched Leia say goodbye as she manned the AT-AT. Why she was watching, she wasn't sure, but from what she had seen that girl was good. Ezra didn't look at her with so much dislike, so much moodiness, and for once Sabine was glad. She had the clumsy, wise cracking smart mouth of a boy back.  
Leia grabbed his wrist all of a sudden, and something in her stomach clenched. What was that princess doing? She suddenly had a great urge to shoot the girl, but then felt ashamed and confused. What was that?  
Then her nerves cooled a second later when she saw Leia tug his hands and pretend to struggle. Acting, all acting. She stepped back, and Sabine saw Ezra grin and stun her as he ran into the Ghost. Something like satisfaction crawled into her stomach, which was replaced by smugness and pride, which was then replaced by even more confusion. Must be that time of the month, she thought as she hopped into the Ghost and they flew away.


	18. Hanging Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah this one... how do I explain this one? Well, the dynamic duo get into a tight - and I mean this literally - tight situation. Read on!

"What did you get us into this time, Ezra?" Sabine growled as they raced through the streets. Sent on a simple food errand together (mostly at Ezra's insistence), they did NOT plan on splitting up, Ezra bumping into some storm troopers and then (mistakenly as he put it) insulting them and their mothers because of various reasons, including him 'not being able to keep his mouth shut when talking to troopers' according to Sabine. Now, they were on the run. Again.  
Ezra threw her a sheepish grin as he jumped over some crates, parkour style. He threw her the old puppy dog eyes and she just glared some more, so he said, "Street chase, run away from bucketheads, nail 'em with some meilooruns, no biggie. All we need now is a tie."  
"Yeah, well, we don't have any meilooruns, or any actual fruit for that matter, and we DON'T have the tie!" she yelled back as they darted through an alley, troopers calling in the background. Unlike Lothal, Garel was crawling with bounty hunters as well as troopers. Ezra didn't know the city as well, but he could certainly use what he called, 'the old Ezra magic' to get them out of this one. No problem. He grinned and grabbed her hand, making her cheeks warm and her stomach feel like there were a dozen butterflies - wait, what? Before she had time to contemplate on if he'd gotten taller or not they were climbing up the rooftop and jumping from building to building, old school style. Pfft, hormones.

"No biggie? That's an understatement. Got any idea of a plan up there in the brain trust?" she asked him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. He scowled and stuck out his tongue at her as he swung on a clothes rail to the other side and said, "Actually, I have half of a plan. I'm still working on the other half. And you can't use that joke! That's MY joke!"  
She rolled her eyes, groaning, He had to pick this day to be especially annoying. What was it with teenage boys? Did they have an annoy button? She picked up the comm and said, "Spectre 2, things might get a little hot around here. Please be around before I die from Supreme Annoyance here or those troopers around the corner!"  
Hera responded, half amused and half exasperated with, "On our way, Spectre 5. Tell Spectre 6 he gets washing up duty tonight."   
Ezra moaned, "Aw, come on! It's not my fault troopers have bad attitudes with sticks up their butts! They're worse than Zeb!" and proceeded to climb even higher, almost at the top of the apartments. The padawan pulled Sabine up and they breathed out in relief. "At least we got the cheese waffles. They're my new favourites." he said, pulling them out and sighing with glee.  
"Why? Because they're cheesy and corny, just like you?" Sabine muttered as she made her way to the next ladder. Ezra flashed her a maddening grin from below. "Exactly. Two of your favourite qualities, I'm guessing?" he said mischievously.  
Before she could answer to that question in the most insulting way possible, there was the sudden sound of blaster fire, and troopers were coming up.  
"Quick!" Sabine hissed, pulling him up the ladder and scaling the first level together. They made it to the rooftop and ran to the other side, but when Sabine made it to the ledge on the edge of the roof, a shot fired up, and Ezra lost his balance and grabbed the only thing he could reach - Sabine's belt!  
They both went down, Sabine hanging on at the last minute t the railing. They hung in midair, and Sabine knew they only had a few moments when she realised the view Ezra was getting - and went tomato red. She looked down at Ezra, who was hanging on desperately, and he looked back up. His cheeks were bright pink too, and he was trying not to pull too much or he'd get a glimpse of her bright blue boxers. She scowled heavily, extreme frustration, annoyance and embarrassment boiled over her. Right, that is the last straw, she thought, as he said with the tiniest of grins,   
"So, um... have YOU got any ideas in the brain trust?"  
He visibly gulped, seeing her murderous expression.

"First off, this never happened! Now PASS ME THE COMM!"   
Trying not to look up at her belt, Ezra got the Finn from the holster and reached upwards for her hand, straining to hold on and not pull down Sabine's pants while at it.  
"You know, we're gonna laugh about this someday!" He tried as she clicked the comm and scowled even more furiously.  
"Not today! Hera, 4th floor, number 15 - it's an emergency! Life or death!"  
To Ezra, she said, "It's lucky you're light, or we'd be in even worse trouble!"  
Ezra replied indignantly,   
"I am not light! With a full bladder I am pushing triple digits!" He immediately wished he hadn't said that s Sabine's state burned into the back of his brain. Don't laugh, Ezra! You could die here!

Heh. It was almost ironic.  
He could almost picture his obituary. Ezra Bridger, 15 years of age and not yet had a growth spurt, died falling from a building, his last view being of his future girlfriend's butt. Not the worst thing in the world, but still. It wasn't exactly dying in style. Heck, he'd rather not die at all.

His arms were tiring now, and even more so were hers. Troopers approached even closer, and it was then that Ezra saw the ticket to their escape -a dumpster parked over on the side. It was a fair way down, unless he swung off the line, was bounced part o the building and touched down in that dumpster. It would be messy. But it could work. And it was their only chance he could think of. He shouted up to Sabine, shaking with the effort, "Do you trust me?"

"What? NO!" She yelled, and then looked down into his eyes, which were urgent and determined. She nodded then, realising she had to.  
"Okay - yes!"  
He smiled and dropped, and she dropped with him. He grabbed the line and her hand, kicked at the building very ungracefully and force bounced down into the dumpster. While their most embarrassing moment ever, they crawled out, Sabine hoisting up her trousers as far as they could go, and they ran out onto the street, with troopers on their tail, and raced to the door of the swerving Phantom. "Hera's here!" Ezra said with as much joy as he could muster, and the climbed in, Chopper whirring gleefully at the sight of them. They immediately realised what a mess the looked, turning around to see their reflection on the window pane - Ezra with fruit peel in his hair, dirt all over his clothes and jogun juice on his everywhere, and Sabine hoisting up her trousers again, mud covered and orange stained. Zeb took one look at them and burst out into hysterical laughter, rolling around the floor while they both glared daggers at him.   
"What- HAHAHAHAHA- what happened to you two?!"  
Sabine glared at Ezra and the boy blushed even more, if that were possible. He sighed, "Zeb, it's a long story. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like not not be purple, please!"   
Sabine was still scowling and blushing violently, and Zeb was still howling with laughter. Those two, he thought as he tried to stop laughing and failed miserably.

Two hours later

"Did anyone ever tell you how cute you are when you're mad?" Ezra asked her, that fizzle of mischief surrounding him as he entered the room, all washed up, where Sabine was currently internally fuming, clean and sparkly but still fuming. Ezra thought he might see steam come out of her ears any second. So he did what he always did in tense situations - resort to comedy.

"I'm not mad. In fact, I could slit your jugular vein 11 different ways from where I'm sitting and still wouldn't lose my temper." She said, but there was a slight sparkle in her eyes now.   
Ezra clutched his throat. "Ouch. I had that coming. Still, those were highly unpredictable circumstances!"  
He said, slightly nervous now. She smiled a little. And then her smile widened as she saw the note attached to the back of his pants:   
Pink stinks but I'm still wearing it!   
It was obviously in Zeb's scrawled handwriting, but it still made her laugh out loud and say, "You know what? I think we're even! And if you think pink stinks maybe you should reconsider my offer about dying your hair coral!"

Ezra looked at her confusedly, and then turned to see the note on his back.  
"what the - ZEB!!!!!!"  
He yelled as he ran out, and Sabine laughed her head off.   
That boy really made her sides ache with laughter sometimes.


	19. Not Alone Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after the Protector of Concord Dawn, in which Sabine needs to open up and Ezra knows exactly how to help her.

Sabine was in her room, spraying a new plasti- canvas Kanan had got her. She was using the canvas because the walls in her room were crammed with graffiti and colour, and she wanters to paint something professional and fun. Or maybe she just wanted something to do, something to take her mind off... everything.   
It was getting harder and harder to do that these days, what with the Rebellion, escaping from the Empire and getting into more and more tight and dangerous situations. And she'd not been able to do much art recently, which pained her more than she could have imagined - because her past, her roots, they were coming back to her and she was unable to distract herself.   
The reunion with Ketsu, Hera nearly dying at the hands of her people, Fenn Rau almost making her go back to what she had fled from and to reconsider all that she'd been taught - it was all catching up to her. And she felt troubled. Normally, she was calm and grounded when she painted. Stable. But today, she was unsteady and shaken, feeling like she was about to fall over any minute.   
Ezra was right, about her wanting to paint and be left alone. He had dealt with his fears surrounded by people who cared about him and wanted to help him. She was one of them. But it seemed that she couldn't let anyone help her.  
And sometimes she missed the quieter days on Lothal, when Ezra first joined and things were lighter, less dangerous and serious. She felt more or less the same, but now she had to face her past as it caught up with her, and it was like being wounded all over again. It wasn't as bad as Kanan. Kanan went through something no one but Zeb had really gone through. The trouble was, everyone was made to believe that the Jedi were traitors. And so Kanan's very fear was the past.   
All of their worlds had been shattered by the Empire. She had abandonment issues, and trust issues, she knew that. So why couldn't she talk about them? Why was she so apart, so alone? She felt more than uncomfortable. Uncomfortable and troubled, a sick feeling in her stomach. So she got to work, sketching and painting over Ezra and Kanan doing Jedi training with their lightsabers, along with Chopper throwing cartons. She painted Ezra last, focusing on that bluet-black shade of his hair, and his features wincing as he got hit by a carton, and it made her smile. Just a little. She loved capturing moments like that.

"Didn't know you liked my hair so much," Ezra said, a lazy grin spread across his face as he entered the room and broke her concentration. One look at her pained expression though, and immediately alarm bells started ringing in Ezra's mind.   
Sabine immediately put on her gruff face, shouldered her paint gun and said, "Ezra, not a good time, I need - "

"To be alone?" he interrupted, and she internally cursed herself for that mission with him back on Garel. He knew her so well now, and it was getting harder to deter him.  
Then again, he was a soon-to-be Jedi, with his stupidly cool Force powers. At least mind tricks were his weakness, or he'd have figured out even more stuff out. He wasn't dumb, that boy. For all Sabine's teasing, he was actually very sharp. And according to Kanan he had a real talent of connecting to things and people.

"Nuh-uh, I don't think so. Something's really bothering you this time, and I'm gonna nag you until ya tell me." he said, crossing his arms and looking at her pointedly.   
Sabine groaned, and growled a little too fiercely, "Ezra, it's nothing! I told you before, I want to - I - just leave me to it, okay?"  
She slumped onto the bunk, putting her sprayer down and hurting, realising that her usual defence was weaker this time.  
He plonked down beside her and looked into her eyes with his own ocean blue ones, filled with concern for once.   
"Look - we all have our moments. I - I've had it hard recently - with my parents, and so has Kanan, with the clones and his master. We faced our pasts, and you helped us. But you had Ketsu, and the Protectors - and you keep it all bottled up inside. You think you're alone, but you're not. You're so strong, but you shut us out - and normally I wouldn't go so far, but you helped me through my stuff. So, so, let me help you. Now, I' not the best at advice - I could sure use some myself. But you can trust me. I do know when to shut up and listen. Sometimes."

Sabine looked up at him in a new light. He wasn't a cocky, annoying, selfish kid anymore. Now he was a cocky, annoying yet slowly maturing guy who she could trust.  
So she tried to do what she hadn't done in a very long time - open up.  
She sighed and said, "After everything that's happened recently, I - I haven't been feeling too good. Worse than usual. So art is an escape, okay? It always has been. Whenever I get too many bad memories, and I just have to get away - from everything, it's not you guys. It's not that I want to - it's my past, my feelings... I know I'm supposed to talk, but I just - I can't open up easily. You know what I mean? I want to get away from it. So I paint to escape."  
Ezra nodded, finally understanding her. And then he put an arm around her shoulder, rather tentatively since he didn't want her to flip him to the ground. Even he could see this was a very sensitive subject for her. He looked back into her eyes and said, "I mean, I'm no razzle-dazzle professional artist lol you, but the escape thing? I get it. But, um, somebody told me once that no matter what, there always hope. We're all jerks, sometimes - but I think that everyone has good inside all that. And I'm telling you now that you'll always have me - I mean us. It doesn't matter what your past is, you're not alone anymore."

He then gave her the sweetest smile she'd ever seen on him. Not the mischievous one she's grown to love. Not even the full laugh that made a bubble burst in her chest. His eyes were honest, twinkling with kindness - and the blushing, sincere smile that rested across his face made her heart nearly jump into her throat and perform the splits. She's never really seen that before, and while the cocky, flirty side of him was equally endearing as annoying, this was something else. She was half inclined to yell 'Who are you and what have you done with Ezra Bridger?'  
But she didn't. Instead, she smiled back, a real smile for once and not a sarcastic one. He grinned his usual grin then, seeing how she had cheered up.  
"See? Told you I'd nag you and you'd tell me. I was right! I generally am about these things!"  
She covered his mouth, rolling her eyes pointedly. "We're having a moment here. Don't ruin it."  
Ezra pouted but after that his eyes lit up, the same way he did when he though he was going to have a moment with her and Ketsu.  
They grinned at each other for a second longer, and then Ezra rose to say goodnight. She did something she'd never normally do then, with the exception of very rare cases.

He turned around as she tapped him on the shoulder, and took him completely by surprise as she said, smiling a little shyly for her he thought, "I'm never calling you kid again," she said, and kissed him on the cheek, not a tiny embarrassed peck but a real kiss, making his eyes go round in shock and his mouth drop open. She beamed and expected a witty comeback. Instead, his copper skin went bright pink, and he coughed, his voice going comically deeper than usual, "Well - glad we cleared that up," and sounding more like Commander Sato than himself. He breathed out, his eyes as round as marbles, completely in disbelief that that had just happened, and she resisted the urge to laugh as he walked out , the expression of shock and delight spreading across his face as he pumped his fist in the air and yelled, "Zeb, ZEEEEEB!!" as he ran to his room.

She grinned and continued her painting with more vigour, and most importantly more happiness, the feeling of discomfort long gone. He tried to act all smooth, flirting, cracking jokes and pulling pranks all the time, which she'd found irritating at first, but had grown to tease him back.   
But he'd sincerely wanted to help her - and secretly she loved him for that's. Okay, maybe it was all a facade. Maybe she did like his jokes - and although some girls may have found 'intense, brooding' Ezra more appealing, she didn't care. He was happy. And she liked him best when he was happy. More than that, he made her happy for once. Truly happy. Because she wasn't alone anymore.


	20. Accidentally On Purpose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Valentine's Day special, where Ezra is very annoying and very pleased with himself because he naps on her CONSTANTLY and she slowly finds it endearing. Emphasis on slowly.

Sabine never took naps, usually, but after a mission that took place at the crack of dawn she was more than happy to. Night missions, stealth missions most of the time, were sometimes a necessity. Sabine knew this, and while sneaking around and blowing stuff up was her speciality, she was NOT a morning person. She'd wake up and fall straight back asleep again, and when she did finally summon the courage to haul herself out of bed, enticed by a steaming cup of car, she ended up looking more like a Wookiee than a Mandalorian - much to their amusement.

But lately, for some reason she'd been... looking forward to them? Well, it was nothing to do with Ezra being a complete nuisance.

Ever since he'd been on his first night mission, he took it upon himself to what he called 'accidentally-on-purpose' nap on her. If he could, he would, at anytime on their journey in the Phantom. Sometimes he did it just to tease her. In the earlier days, she'd find him just snoring away on her shoulder, claiming he needed his 'beauty sleep,' to which she'd shove him on to Zeb and tell him it was more of a 'beauty coma.' Other times, it was only because he was incredibly tired, and it had become a habit. One morning, she woke to find him nestled on her side,deeply sleeping, and she thought about pushing him off. But she was startled at how innocent he looked for once, and how completely at peace he was, no stresses or worries. He looked like a loth-cat. Maybe even cuter. It was a few days after Tseebo had arrived, and she'd given him his birthday present. At that point, she was feeling pretty bad for him, seeing how exhausted he was, and knew that for once this was unintentional. So she let him sleep, and even asked Kanan for a blanket. But now he was back to his usual antics. And she had kind of gotten used to them. Maybe it was endearing - almost! Ack, what were these emotions?

Morning, 2 am, the Phantom.

Sabine groaned as she rubbed her stiff neck, squeezing her eyes shut. Why oh why did she have to wake us so early? She moved slightly, but felt a warm weight on her lap. At first it was pleasant, and though she had sleepy recognition of what it could be, she wasn't sure. It was as though someone had placed a soft hot water bottle in her lap. Experimentally, she reached out with her hand to touch it, and got a jolt when her hand came into something warm and hard, yet squishy at first - and then something smooth and floppy, something with a suspiciously hair-like feel. She recoiled and blinked, rubbing her eyes. Her touch had made this warm, soft think open its blue eyes and flash her an adoring, smug grin. Oh, for kriff's sake - she was stroking Ezra's hair in her sleep? Wait - why was he on her lap?? He smiled up at her as she gawped at him.

"I don't know about, but can I just say I am loving the view from down here." Sabine scowled. "Ezraaa!" and he chuckled, sending vibrations up her spine. He relaxed even more, tilting his head back, his feet on the seats.

"What? You can't say you didn't enjoy me stroking my face. Besides, I'm still sleepy. It's time for me..." at which he paused and yawned, turning his head away from her, and she was prepared to fling him off the Phantom if he'd turned the other way. Instead, she sighed and retorted grumpily,

"The point was for you to get up, not go back to sleep."But she let him for once, marvelling at how much had grown between them. After all, he needed as much rest as she did.

2 weeks later

Sabine had really wiped herself out this time. She felt like her legs would drop off after all that running, and she slumped on the seat, gulping down a bottle of water. She wished she had those fire chips Zeb bought yesterday. Man, those were good. She was too tired to eat, though. She fought off sleep for as long as she could, but eventually her eyes shut, and she was soon fast asleep. Ezra noticed her nod off, but it wasn't until her inhales went through the nose and her exhales made her mouth drop open with a little puff that he thought of napping on her. And then he resisted the urge to squeak with laughter as she let out a breathy sigh and her head fell on to his shoulder. Oh, how the tables turn! he thought with glee. She was actually adorable when she slept, and didn't scowl as much. Okay, the scowl was cute but here, all peaceful slumber, she looked less like a fighting machine and more like someone of his own age, a little softer and cuddlier than her usual Anooba-like attitude. He considered pushing her off but realised he liked this too much, and smiled in satisfaction.His eyes widened then as she leaned on him further, her mouth open. As much as he was enjoying this, he didn't want her to be uncomfortable and wake up with a stiff neck. He also didn't want her to wake up drooling on his shirt, not that he'd have minded. Then he got an idea so wickedly good he couldn't believe he thought of it. Oh, the tables would turn alright!

Morning.

Sabine woke, feeling warm and comforted for once - which was strange after sleeping in the Phantom. She was lying down, head on something lean, orange and really comfy. Then she looked up to find a certain padawan grinning down at her from where she lay, and let out a yelp. He mock-frowned in that infuriatingly cute way and said, "What? I don't mind. And from the looks of it, neither did you!"

She flushed crimson as he gave her a maddening grin, and she groaned. She tried to get up, but for some reason her arms and legs felt like carbonite. Even her head wouldn't budge from the pillow of Ezra's legs. She let out a frustrated growl. WHY??? Ezra smiled at her, real smug, and saw how tired she was.

"Come on - it's not so bad. You, on my lap, me, enjoying myself. And this is usually where the dream sequence starts!"

She glared up at him, wanting to punch him, so badly, as she realised what he meant, to which he quickly responded, "Or - y'know, you could think of this as payback for me sleeping on your lap. Maybe I'm just a nice guy!"

She glared some more, and he just continued to grin, irritating her to no end. He placed his hands on her shoulders - bad move, wise guy - and said, "Hey - relax. I'm not gonna do anything stupid. Or at least I'll try not to do anything stupid."

She huffed, completely red, but actually realised she aaas comfortable in more ways than once. Maybe she could think of this as a form of payback and not... something else.

"You're lucky I'm wiped out. Try anything, I put you on the floor. Zeb will assist," she growled, but her fatigue got the better of her. And it was like resting her head on a soft, warm pillow. It was just good Ezra didn't seem to be hawing much of a reaction to this. He put his hands behind his head and yawned, completely in heaven.

On the other hand, Ezra was totally reacting. He just didn't want to be flipped to the ground. Could this GET any better? he wondered with delight. He was trying very, very hard not to wake up Zeb and show off. But he didn't. He knew when he had to be chivalrous. As on fire his hormones currently were, he took it upon himself to keep it together.

"Ezra Bridger, you are a nuisance," she said, half exasperated and half endearing. He smiled, incredibly pleased with himself and looked down at her.

"Yeah, but I'm your nuisance."


	21. She's havin' a bad bad day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all in the name - DESPICABLE ME REFERENCE THO! This is a fun one, a prequel mind you because I wanted to show how Sabine warmed up to Ezra, since I had been wondering about this transition from irritation to friendship! And of course Ezra is trying to make her laugh in this oneshot.

The Ghost and it's crew was all a very new experience for Ezra, but he was slowly getting used to the sole thing. Well, some things.  
One thing he couldn't get used to was the food. It wasn't that he didn't like it - he couldn't get enough of it. But that was the real shock to his system. For 8 years of his life, he'd never had enough of it. And now, he could t believe how much food they had. For them, it was nothing really, but for him it was a feast. Hera made sure he had enough, even though his habit of eating only a little to save food was still hovering about. They were all treating him like on of the family. Even Zeb, after they stole a tie together, was like an older brother to him. The only one who was still distant was Sabine.

Sabine Wren... That girl was something. She'd blasted her way into his life, literally, dived down, commented on his gutsy moves and made off with a crate. His crate. Even before she took her helmet, he was impressed. And then once she did, he just couldn't resist hitting on her. It wasn't even his fault! How was he supposed to know his weakness was strong, smart, sassy Mandalorian gunslingers who just happened to be irresistibly cute and hot? She was a knockout. And completely out of his league. Ezra knew this. Okay, maybe she wasn't into him now.  
But who knew what would happen in the future? And he saw something when she told him her name for the first time. A little smile. An breach of her she'll. Just enough for him to see there was more underneath them at gruff persona. Ezra wanted that to come out. She just needed to warm up to him. And Ezra took it upon himself to make sure that happened.  
How, you may ask? By doing what he did whenever he got the chance - cracking jokes and mouthing off.  
And so he'd start with a, "Hey Sabine," and see where he went from there. Normally, it would be fruitless. But Ezra was a confident dude. And once he started, he wouldn't give up. Whether that be Jedi training, or flirting - this boy was on a roll!  
Unfortunately, today was not a good day for any flirting.

"Uh-oh" Zeb muttered in a voiced that spelled trouble as Sabine entered the room that morning, scowling fiercely and looking very bedraggled, her hair sticking up and a blob of red paint on her cheek and nose.  
"I've seen that look before. That's a bad day look."  
Ezra looked up at Zeb, puzzled. He was still the rookie, the noob.  
"What's a bad day look?" he asked.  
Zeb grunted, looking sheepish. "Ever had a bad day, kid? We all have them. Nothing goes right on a bad day. And you can always tell from the expression. But with Sabine... Well, hers are particularly bad."  
They both peered over from the table to the right, where Sabine was busy ranting to Kanan.  
"A paint canister. I bust a paint canister. How does that happen? These were the extra durable ones! I don't break paint cans! Not normally!"  
Ezra winced, and then he got an idea. Maybe today was the day! All he had to do was make a plan n the go. And he was great at that. Improvise was his middle name.  
Zeb scratched his head, nodding. "Breaks something, heavy metal blasting from her room, paint on her face. Yep, that's definitely the start of a bad day."  
Ezra responded to this by tilting his head and cracking his knuckles, to Zeb's amusement.  
"Well I'm gonna end that bad day before it takes over!" he exclaimed, a mad gleam in his eye. Zeb roared with laughter, slapping his knee.  
"Good one, kid. I'd like to see you try! She likes to be ALONE on days like these, to get over it."  
Ezra glared at the Lasat, then smiled at Sabine confidently and waved at her, raising his eyebrows, to which she made a confused look, waved slightly back and then quickly turned away, still furious.  
"You watch. I bet I can make her laugh with some of the old Ezra magic!" he said, still smiling at her.  
Zeb scoffed, thumping Ezra on the back amicably.  
"You owe me five waffles if you can't manage it. I'm still not over yesterday!"  
Ezra shook on it, grinning. "You're on. And you have to make them for me if I win. She laughs once, those waffles are mine!"  
Zeb snorted and walked off, but not before calling back, "Like that'll happen. Smiling doesn't count, by the way. And she still hasn't warmed to you fully. I can taste those waffles already!"

Ezra skipped over to Sabine's room, confident in his comedic abilities. Just wait till he told Zeb!  
He leaned in, giving her his best smile. She rolled her eyes, and he could clearly see she was not in a good mood,. Her latest piece had black paint running down the side, and she was visibly frustrated, shadows under her eyes.  
"What is it, Ezra?" she growled. He braced himself and said the first thing that came into his head.  
"So, I take it you've got your panties in a twist today? Because I could help you out with that."  
Her scowl rose, and she looked at him in annoyance as he realised what he said.  
Ezra mentally face palmed and tried again.  
"I mean - I'm pretty good at cheering people up. Let's face it - I'm a prankster with a killer smile. So I know what's up.Your mad. It's showing, even on your art."  
She huffed, carrying on with her mural.  
"First of all, killer smile? And secondly, I'm not mad! I've just - I've got art block!"  
He rolled his eyes and said, "Art block? You? Oh come on. I know a joke or two. Wanna hear one?"  
She groaned quietly but still listened, spraying away.  
Taking that as a yes, Ezra launched in.  
"Okay - why is a Jedi never lonely?" he asked, and she raised an eyebrow. He continued. "Because the force is always with him!"  
He beamed, but Sabine only gave a small smile and carried on. Undeterred, Ezra got ready his next joke. "Okay then, Miss Hard-To-Please. Why did the angry anooba cross the road?"  
Sabine couldn't help retorting sarcastically, "To eat up the laser brain telling jokes about him?"  
Zeb laughed from next door, and Ezra scowled. "Hey - joke thief! And Zeb, you can't talk - you tell UNCLE JOKES! Come on, Sabine, not even one laugh for me?" Ezra frowned.  
Sabine looked up, disgruntled.  
"It's not exactly working, kid. Nothing's working for me today."  
Ezra looked cross. He resolved not to give up, and said, "You know I'm hilarious as well as hot. And I'm not going to give up till I get you to laugh!"  
Right, he thought as Sabine stalked off to have lunch. Time for his secret weapon. Phase Two of this operation had commenced!

Phase Two: The Face  
"Sabiiiiine," Ezra sang as he entered the main room. She was clearing up where she had somehow managed to trip and spill her lunch onto the floor - something that never usually happened. She looked up and frowned even more.  
"Aw, you're getting frown lines. You can't stay grumpy forever, Sabine. What?"  
He asked, smirking slightly as he leaned down and she sat up, scowling.  
"Do I have to do the face?" He asked her, and she glared at him as if to say, don't you dare.  
He smiled smugly.  
"You know you can't resist the face."  
At this, he widened his eyes and gave the world's biggest Force-pout.  
She took one look at him and groaned. What a face. He looked like a loth-cat that was about to cry. She din't know whether to snort or bawl. Finally, she decided she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of having her react.  
She gave him a dry look and walked out. Ezra was stunned.  
"She resisted the face!" he exclaimed, while Zeb chortled.

How do I make her laugh?  
Ezra wondered as he trudged through the hallway, rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly. Hera saw this, and decided to help him out. After all, Sabine would need to trust him sooner or later.  
"Remember when she did the painting? She loves a good prank," she whispered to Ezra as she went past, and as soon as she did Ezra got inspiration. "Oh! Thanks, Hera!" he said, and Hera feigned confusion. "Whatever for?" She asked, seemingly innocent, and Ezra sniggered as he ran past. He knew exactly what to do.

30 minutes later

"Psst - Sabine," Ezra whispered form the corner of her door. She got up grumpily. "What is it this time Ezra? I told you, I -"  
"Not now! Come on, you've GOT to see this," He interrupted and pulled her into the corridor, watching as Zeb whistled as he walked into the kitchen and Sabine saw the jackpot - a great day balloon, with red jelly inside.  
"Oh, no way!" Sabine exclaimed. Instantly her face lit up, and Eza smiled with delight. Perfect.  
Zeb was preparing a great chop, searching for some dressing and didn't notice that on the chair, instead of his favourite red cushion was a clear ballon filled to the brim with candleberry sauce, ready to burst.  
Sabine whistled quietly, shaking her head an dEzra grinned a wide, self satisfied grin. Oh, Zeb was going to see her laugh AND get candleberry sauce all over himself as well as the groat chop!  
"Ready? Watch this," he said in a hushed voice, counting down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 as Zeb sat with a thump on the chair, and the red sauce exploded and splattered all over him, leaving him not purple but dripping crimson, two green eyes poking out and very angry. Ezra whooped, Zeb spotted him and snarled - and then in that instant they heard something from the corner: a burst of laughter that had been held in all day. Ezra whipped his head around, and there was Sabine, giggling uproariously, hitting her leg. The laugh was uncontrollable, gleeful and straight from the belly. Every time she tried to stop to breathe she started all over again, so much that her sides hurt. Her eyes had crinkled up in the corners and her smile bad spread into a radiant, full toothed beam that seemed to light up the room. For Ezra, who'd never seen her laugh like this before, it was magical, and there was a great swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach that threatened to bowl him over. He didn't care though. This was the greatest thing he'd seen. And he knew on that moment he was head over heels for her.  
He gaped, mesmerised, while Zeb's jaw dropped.

"That - was -" she choked, calming down and opening her eyes to reveal actual tears of laughter, "- one of the best pranks I have ever witnessed."  
Ezra was thrilled, and bowed. "Truly I am the Lord of Pranks, Prank King of this ship. Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week," he said, humour seeping into his voice.  
She laughed again, once, and then caught herself. Ezra smiled wickedly.  
"See? I am funny!" He said l, the epitome of smugness.  
She managed to kill her smile and then restrained another laugh as she saw the state of Zeb, who was shell shocked and blobs of sauce were all over him, dripping off.  
"You are not funny." She said, shaking her head, but wouldn't meet his eyes, so he knew she was lying. "But that - that was gold." She let out another laugh and walked out. Ezra sighed happily.  
He smirked at Zeb, and said,"So... how 'bout those waffles, huh buddy?"  
Zeb answered by wiping his paw across Ezra's cheek, to which the boy yelped. "Eww! Gross, Zeb. I know it's all over you but don't mess with the dress - I mean shirt. And we had a deal!" Ezra chased after him, and Sabine found herself reevaluating her opinion of the kid. He wasn't that bad at all. And he had managed to cheer her up on a bad day, a very rare thing to happen. So she said, "Goodnight, prank boy," as they went to bed, which of course made his heart go ka-BUMP, because he knew he'd won her over. He couldn't take the grin off his face the whole night long, with one thing standing out in his mind: mission accomplished!


	22. Helmet Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some Ezra and Sabine stealing each other's helmets - very dangerous considering she is a MANDALORIAN and you do not steal their helmets. Ever. But does Ezra know that? Nope! And will he listen? Never.

"Zeb!" Ezra's voice rang out in annoyance. The big Lasat's head popped in. "What is it, kid?"  
Ezra was tearing through his helmet collection, aggravated.  
"I-can't-find-my-helmet!" he yelled as he burrowed through the piles of trooper helms. Zeb raised a fluffy eyebrow and tried to hide a grin. "Which one?" he said, trying not to laugh. Ezra glared at him. He wasn't in a good mood. First Chopper spilled caf down his shirt, and now just when he needed his plain cadet helmet (not his favourite, the one Sabine painted for him) it was missing! And he was sure he had a spare. He made a mental note to restock.  
"The plain one! The one I used when we had to get ships from the kriffing princess - agh!" he yelled as he caught his finger.   
"Unless..." he paused and narrowed his eyes at the Lasat, who was scratching his head sheepishly.  
"Zeb, do you know where my helmet is?"he asked accusingly. The big guy coughed and grinned evilly.  
"Nope. Why don't you ask Sabine?"  
Ezra gasped as it dawned on him. He smacked his head and ran through the corridors, muttering, "She wouldn't!" as he ran to Sabine's room and found it bolted shut.  
Ezra knew desperate times called for desperate measures as he banged on the door and there were no answers. So he took the risky task of infiltrating her room through the vents. Again. Besides, as he once told her when she was seriously peeved at him, that 'only he had permission to go into her room without permission', since she had long ago given up chasing around the Ghost and arguing constantly - he did unspeakable things to logic that made her have headaches afterwards for hours on end.   
Sure enough, he worked his way inside Sabine's room - and there lay his prize. Not his own helmet, which was unsurprisingly unscathed, but her own, Mandalorian helmet. Oh yes, what he planned to do was his most dangerous prank yet - it was a helmet for a helmet! He was taking her helmet for ransom! Or so the thought, to get his own back. He could just steal back his usual helmet without fuss, but this was Ezra. He couldn't resist a good prank. And it was ages since he had played one.  
How foolish he was. Because there was one thing every same person who didn't have a death wish knew: never ever steal a Mandalorian's helmet. And when said Mando his find her helmet gone, along with a note, she was hopping with rage.  
'Want it back? Coke and get it. Your helmet for mine. No innuendo intended. Main room, one hour. I need it by tonight. UNDAMAGED AND UNPAINTED, or so help me, Sabine, your helmet will be COVERED in sauce, I don't care how stained it is. From (his worship) Ezra the Great, Champion of the Universe and Master of all things Pranking. ;)'  
Sabine gnashed her teeth. Cocky, stupid, ridiculous sleemo.  
Oh, he was so going to get it.  
Wait... He thought she painted over his spare helmet? She hadn't even got the chance, since she'd been out on a supply mission.  
Oh. Oh oh oh oh oh! She smiled evilly at the currently unscathed cadet helm. He should not have stolen her precious helmet - he could have taken back his and she would have been fine! If she wanted his back in mint condition, she needed to be sneaky. And she knew the perfect way to still improve that helmet without it actually showing up. She brandished the clear coloured pen, laughing wickedly.

1 hour later.

Ezra stood, arms crossed and tapping his foot, fully kitted out in cadet gear and wearing his best evil grin on his face. The only thing missing was his helmet.  
Sabine walked in, looking half angry bad also surprisingly smug. His helmet was untouched, of course. New and shiny. Which made him feel a little bit guilty about his other misdeed. Only a little bit.  
"I still think you should have let me work on it!" She said, unimpressed and scowling. He shook his head and said, "No can-do, Paint Girl. Now if you'll excuse me, my helmet and I need some alone time. Give."  
He beckoned for the helmet, but she refused. "My helmet first, laserbrain. I can't believe you had the nerve to steal it instead of your own one back," she snarled, and he grabbed her helmet off the chair.  
"Nuh-uh. Mine first!"  
"Uh-uh! Mine!"  
"Nuh-uh!"  
"Uh-uh"  
"Nuh-uh!!"  
They went in like this for a while, not noticing Chopper recording their silliness and giggling away. Finally, Ezra pulled the trigger. He put on Sabine's helmet, smirking while she gasped. "Ooh. Surprisingly comfy. I wonder how I listen to music with this thing? For a girl's helmet, you have got some taste in style, Sabine."  
Sabine's eyes bulged and she growled. "You wouldn't dare!"  
Ezra wiggled his fingers and fiddled with a button. She was seething now. This was the last straw.  
"Oh, but I would. Ha! Cantina jazz? I didn't know you liked cantina jazz of all things!" He exclaimed.

"Agh!" Sabine yelled, and put in Ezra's helmet. "I seriously hope you don't have fleas, because you're gonna regret that pal!"  
Ezra flipped the helmet in the air and winked at her. He put it back on with a flourish. "Fleas? You wish. You wanna go? Make me," he dared. She did the only thing she could: she cracked her knuckles and charged, while every instinct in Ezra's both screamed for him to flee. It was Jedi vs Mandalorian. Correction: Pirate Jedi and Rebel Mandalorian.  
She chased him around the room, but he was too fast, hurdling the sofas and sprinting into the corridors.   
"Catch me if you can!" he yelled, delighted with himself. Now - how to get his helmet back?  
He looked back, finding that she was gone. Then, too late, he sensed her behind him, jumped out of the way and SMACK! He took her with him. He was in the floor and Sabine was pinning him to the floor.   
"Ha! Caught you. Now give me back my helmet, or so help me -"  
She never finished her sentence. He pinned her on the ground and said, "Aw. Thought you liked being on top."  
She yowled and grabbed for the helmet. They grappled, with plenty of kicking Ezra's shins and flipping each other over - that is, until Hera arrived on the scene. She was not pleased.

"I thought we had to bad with Ezra and Zeb, but you Sabjne? Seriously?"  
Hera frowed and they stood up, ashamed. Sabine took Ezra's helmet off and grunted, "it's his fault! Making dirty jokes and stealing my helmet-"  
Ezra snatched his back, offended. "You stole mine first!"  
Hera pulled them apart, got hold of both helmets and returned them to their original owners.  
"Now - either apologise or I'll make you hug," Hera threatened, and while Ezra said, "I'm all for hugs," with a cocky smile, Sabine sighed reluctantly.  
"Sorry for taking your helmet. Didn't know you needed it, and I was bored. So yeah."  
Ezra shrugged and grinned, kind of surprised. "Eh, it's okay. Technically I should have just stolen it back instead of taking yours. And I like my rebel one. So, sorry. But you've gotta admit it was a good prank! Now, how 'bout that make up hug?"  
She elbowed him in the ribs and he back to her in response. Hera smiled. Mom's work was complete.  
"Okay, Chop - you can delete the recording now," she said, humour seeping into her voice. Both Ezra and Sabine glared at Chopper.  
"You recorded it?" They hissed, and Chopper giggled, like "Yeah, you little punks. Whatcha gonna do about it?"  
Hera sighed and said, mock- exasperated, "Yea, you have to delete it. But I don't suppose Zeb would want to see first?"  
She asked and Chopper wheeled off, laughing his droid laugh.  
Ezra raced after him, "Chopper no you don't!"  
Sabine shook end head and walked back to her room.

9:01, Undercover Mission

It was all going great till darkness fell. As they ran back to the Phantom, Kanan noticed Ezra's helmet and couldn't help but smother a laugh which came out as a cough.  
"What?" Ezra asked, confused.   
They got in, and Kanan told him to take his helmet off. The boy obliged, and when he saw the glow in the dark whiskers, yellow moustache and 'Pint sized loverboy ready for action!' scrawled on the back as well as 'kiss my butt!' he burned scarlet, while Kanan roared with laughter. While Ezra was mortified - the Prank Master had been bested at his own game! - he was also kinda impressed. That girl had moves. It was also either a huge coincidence, or they were more alike than he thought, thinking about the little message he's left in her helmet...

The Ghost, late night.

Sabine patted her helmet as she put it back on. She couldn't imagine herself without it - it was part of her. The thought made her insides squirm and her face to flush as her mind gave her a thought: Ezra wearing part of her. Pfft. She knew exactly what he's say to that. She switched her holo-imager on, and got a nasty shock when numerous pictures of Ezra winking, posing with his saber and pointing to the camera and pulling the stupidest expressions ever appeared in the screen, with the caption: 'Now I see what you're all about, Wren. Don't think I didn't notice those reference photos of me training - for your art or whatever nefarious purposes you may have. I know you secretly dig me. So have some more hot images of me! You're welcome. Ezra.'  
She rolled her eyes and face palmed, but couldn't help smiling slightly. He was so full of it. And she couldn't believe he's found those references in 1 hour! He was a smart kid, she's give him that. But still! She was lucky that she was sensible wth she photos. She captured landscapes and portraits of whatever was beautiful or inspiring or just interested her. He knew that. She wanted to remember them. Oh, no! She buried her face in her hands. No wonder he was acting so smug. He thought she was interested in him! Nooooo!

Okay, maybe those pictures were kind of funny. She might as well keep them. Wait, what?


	23. Ketsu Approves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is based on my headcanon that Ketsu totally ships sabezra and she will tease Sabine to the ends of the galaxy about it.

Set during Blood Sisters

"Alright, Sabine," Ketsu Onyo declared as they flew back to Bail Organa's ships. She spoke with an accusatory tone, and Sabine wondered what she was up to. Then Ketsu turned, and to her surprise Sabine found that the bounty hunter had a wide grin spread across her face. "Spill it. What's between you and that boy of yours in the helmet YOU obviously painted for him."  
Sabine was confused, and Ketsu raised an eyebrow. Then it clicked.

"Ezra? What?! Oh, nothing!"  
Ketsu was unconvinced. She sat with her arms folded, and Sabine groaned. She knew that look on her sister's face all too well.   
"Yeah, right. I definitely sensed something there. So tell me. What does he really look like under that helmet? How's his personality? And you'd better not lie. I wanna know everything." Ketsu smirked, giving her a piercing stare as she leaned over the chair eagerly. Ugh.   
"You can't fool me. I know a thing when I see one."  
Ketsu butted in before she could say any more, and Sabine retorted, "What? Oh, come on. There is no thing!"  
Ketsu nodded sarcastically and arched an eyebrow.

Before Sabine could stop herself, she opened that big mouth of hers and started speed talking.  
"Fine, he's got floppy dark hair, almost my length except boyish, copper skin, and very blue eyes which are sort of mesmerising not that I would know because I do NOT stare at them every now and again and he recently joined us and I don't care about his looks anyway -" she stopped, covering her mouth while Ketsu wolf whistled, giving her a mad grin. Sabine smushed her face with her hands. She could never hide anything from Ketsu.   
"Cute, huh?" Ketsu asked, a little too smugly. She leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows. Sabine gave in.  
"No! I mean yes, maybe a little, but - he can be very annoying." She paused and Ketsu rotated her hand, like go on.  
"I want some personality here! What's he like?" Ketsu exclaimed and Sabine scowled at her, somewhat half heartedly though. She hadn't had a girl - on- girl discussion like this is a very, very long time. This never happened, normally. Ketsu and her never talked about guys. But she supposed she could do it just this once. And besides, it was Ezra. He wasn't some low life swindler, no matter how much of a scoundrel he tried to act like sometimes.   
"Ugh, fine. When I - we first met him, well, he was a cocky street rat. He instantly started hitting on me, cracking bad jokes, all that stuff." She explained.

She then proceeded to tell Ketsu all about Ezra's sarcastic, prankster persona. Ketsu listened away, and laughed and groaned at all the right parts. Soon their sides hurt from chortling. "And then - wait till you hear this - and then he says to me, "I'm a prankster with a killer smile," Sabine coughed out and Ketsu threw her head back laughing.   
"Ohh, that kid has it bad. and he sounds like he has a high opinion of himself! Smartass!"  
Sabine grinned.   
"Sometimes he acts that way. And we bicker a lot. Sometimes he can't take anything seriously. But... There's more to him."  
Ketsu leaned forward, intrigued. "Oh?"  
Sabine hesitated. She didn't want to give away his secret. Even to her blood sister.  
"He has a lot of pain built up inside. He's been through a lot, and he grew up on his own on the streets for years, having lost his family. And... He has something that makes him special," she confided, but she would say no more. Ketsu was more than fine with that. So Sabine continued.  
"But, even with the troublesome act he puts on, he's a really good person. He seems to be the one to cheer me up these days - and more than that, he notices stuff and cares. Only this morning he pointed out that I shouldn't be so alone. We go on missions more and more together, and he's more than just a fellow crew member. He's... my family now. And, to my surprise, I actually really like him."  
Ketsu's eyebrows flew upwards, and Sabine realised what she just said.  
"Not in that way! Only, well..."  
She drifted off as Ketsu looked on, the epitome of smugness. If she weren't flying a ship, Sabine strongly suspected the warrior would have run around, arms in the air shouting, "I knew it!You liiiiiiiike him, you liiiiike him, I toooooold you so, I kneeeew it wheeeeeeee!"  
She carried on quickly to explain herself.  
"What I mean is, he never gives up. With anything. That's one of his best qualities. And it includes... that. So at first I completely shut him down. But now? It's so weird, but I've really grown to appreciate him being with us. He's like my best friend. Almost. And maybe we're in a war right now, but I'm not - you get what I'm saying? And besides, there's nothing at the moment. Nothing."

Ketsu knew exactly what she was talking about. So she stretched and said, "Well, why don't you see where it goes. He sounds like a clever kid, as well as the snarkiest guy in the outer rim. Just go with it, I guess. Take it slow. In the meantime, I'll be waiting for the wedding invitations. I like the sound of this boy. He has my approval."  
Sabine scowled, punching her shoulder playfully. "What are you, some kind of matchmaker? Wedding planner? With that in mind, you're gonna be waiting a long time, because it will never happen!"

Ketsu grinned widely and steered Shadow Caster to the right, as the approached Garel.  
"We'll see. Next time you give me a call, tell me how your thing with Smartass went."  
Sabine glared. "There IS no thing!"


	24. Smell You Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because y'all know that in Visions of Hope she totally flirted back. Fight me on that one. Very short fluffy fic about Ezra's thoughts because I'm boooored

She knew what he smelled like. His brain went "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!" at that. For Ezra, he didn't care whether it was insulting or not - he loved the tone of which she said it. He knew she was less than serious, and was completely taken aback: hey, did she just flirt back? But still. He washed, okay? It wasn't like he smelt like a sewer. He had showers! He was a clean street rat, these days. He made sure of it. He's promised himself he'd never be dirty again. So he knew she was teasing. And he liked it. Very, very much. Though if she really COULD smell him, well, it would be a thing to consider. Because he could smell her, and to Ezra she smelt wonderful. When she was freshly washed, she smelled of the fragrant jogan blossoms in the orchards before the Empire destroyed them, floral, sweet and spicy at the same time. That was his favourite. When she messed around with clay or miss, she was surrounded by a natural, earthy scent - like the smell of rain hitting the grasses of Lothal, or the old spine trees that used to be there. Even in all the action, whenever he was close to her he couldn't help catching her scent. But he kept that to himself. For Sabine, he didn't smell that bad either. Certainly not as bad as the sewers. But she enjoyed teasing him, and now it was a running joke between them. What she'd never tell him was that he actually smelt good. Really good. He had his own signature scent that she tried to find a name for many times but couldn't pinpoint. It was... like sandalwood, woody and filled with spice most days, and when he bothered to take a shower it was mixed in with something clean and with sparkling freshness, like dewdrops on a leaf. Agh, she sounded silly saying it, and it was hard to describe but there was something else there she couldn't name, no matter how hard she tried. So that night, when they got back into the Ghost and Ezra and Hera came in from outside, Sabine knew the perfect way to cheer him up and say goodnight. As Ezra walked towards his room, Sabine poked her head out of hers. He turned, and she said, "Smell you later, Bridger," grinning. He was startled, and then took into account of what that could mean. He snorted, and gave her a devilish grin as he replied, "Anytime, Wren," and saluted, whistling and skipping back to his room. Her eyes widened and she shook her head, smiling.


	25. Dance With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra takes Sabine out on a date in his own very sneaky Ezra way by not telling her it's a date - and more like this surprise fun thing she doesn't know about. Sabine doesn't dance. And Ezra wants her to. It will be fluffy!

Sabine could do a lot of things. She could do the quick draw faster than a veteran Mando such as Fenn Rau. She could somersault off buildings and blow up grounded tie fighters simultaneously, while eating a slice of pie if she really wanted to show off. She could jam the toughest Imperial signal if she had the right equipment and time. She was an expert sniper, fighter and artist all at once. With art, there was always improvement. It was the same principle for fighting, shooting, somersaulting. But there were things Sabine chose not to do. And Sabine didn't dance.

She used to, once. In a more civilised time when she had parents, a clan, one home. But now she didn't dance. What time did she have, what skills did she need for something as trivial as dancing? Especially with a partner. She could only dream of such things.

Ezra wasn't convinced. And he decided, as always, that he needed to take action. So when they arrived back on Lothal for a long supply haul with some of their contacts, Ezra knew exactly where to take her in the meantime. He pulled her along, saying "Come on. It'll be fun. It's a surprise and you'll like it,"  
He asked, grinning a secret grin. She was clueless about where they were going or what they were going to do, but she trusted him. And so she let him drag her along just this once.

The annual Underground Lothal Festival wasn't big, as festivals went. They changed the date and sent it out in different code every year, and they had to be very wary of who they let in. The only celebration the Imperials really allowed was Empire Day, and that was never a good one.  
But, since the organisers were old friends of Ezra's parents, they let him and Sabine in straight away. One such friend, a cheerful, big bellied and loud Devaronian named Kartal welcomed him in with open arms as Ezra shoved a large rock to the side and they entered the dark passageway.   
"Eeeeezra! Good to have you back, my boy! Long time no see!" Kartal exclaimed, picking Ezra off the ground in a great hug, to which Sabine covered up a laugh. Ezra winced and gave him a nostalgic smile. "Heard you went into hiding, Kartal. How's this place still running?" Ezra asked. Kartal winked at him, and said secretively, "You heard right. But it wouldn't do to shut this place down. We all need a bit of light in this time. And dancing is light! Besides, it's what I can do to... erm, rebel without being caught. Speaking of which, nice broadcast. You inspired many people. Including us."   
Sabine looked back and forth between the two, putting the pieces together. Ezra gave a half hearted, bashful grin. "Aw, thanks Kartal." Then the large Devarionian caught sigh of Sabine, helmet off and very confused.  
"And who is your pretty friend here?" He exclaimed, shooting Ezra a delighted look. Ezra was only slightly embarrassed.  
"An, Kartal, this is Sabine. She's a, uh, friend of mine who needs a lesson or two on how to lighten up."  
Sabine punched his shoulder with a "Hey!" and then cleared her throat. "Ezra dragged me to this, um, lovely tunnel so I could let loose and have fun, as he put it."  
Kartal's eyes twinkled, and he nudged Ezra. "And so you will! Right this way, miss."  
He murmured something to Ezra when Sabine was out of earshot, making her way through the dark, slightly damp tunnel.  
It was lucky it was almost pitch black in there, because Ezra grunted, "Uh, nope! Not yet!" And turned various shades of pink. She ignored him and carried on through the tunnel, when he grabbed her hand for her to stop. She whipped her head around, her hand meeting his shoulder. "Hey - this way, wise navigator," he said, smiling in the dark.  
He was the only thing she could really see or feel, so when he pulled her towards a faint light she followed, and Kartal stepped into view.   
"Welcome, my friends, to the Annual Lothal Festival!"

Sabine's eyes went round with wonder as she took it all in, and gasped.  
It was a sight to behold - a circular cavern if dark rock, tinted brown by the rows of softly lit orange and yellow lanterns strung up, and the faded banners with depictions of loth-cats , loth-wolves and nerfs hung over stalls of the best of what limited food they had to offer, and all around, people were dancing to an old, sweet tune she'd often heard on the radio. Eza grinned at her, seeing her amazement. "Not bad, is it?" he asked her, amusement seeping into his voice, as well as nostalgia. She smiled, taken aback. "I never new this existed before! How did the Empire never find it? And how did you know it was here?  
Ezra's eyes grew a little misty. "Kartal was an old pal of my folks. Haven't been back here since I was six. Saw Kartal around a few times living on the streets, but he didn't know... not until I was with you guys. It's a big planet.  
It's well hidden. A real good secret."  
She now knew one more thing about him. A secret dance floor. Then, a lively jazz number picked up both his mood and the atmosphere. He grinned again, and she felt the old Ezra energy come back to him.  
"So, the reason why I brought you here. Wanna dance?" He asked, holding out his hand. Every nerve in his body screamed as he asked this, the moment he'd been waiting for what seemed like forever. She struggled with it, wanting desperately to say yes, but also nervous.   
"Oh - not - I don't dance. Not really."  
He raised an eyebrow, a little crushed, but wasn't about to give up.  
"Seriously? Come on. Everyone's danced before. Even me!" He exclaimed.

She laughed, "And you're not exactly coordinated."  
He pointed to all the dancing people, laughing and swirling around. Butterflies soared in her stomach. She couldn't believe how nervous she was. It was Ezra, for kriff's sake. Silly, clumsy, flirty Ezra Bridger, who always managed to make her smile even when she didn't admit it. Especially then.   
"Well - " she began, and then stopped. He took her hand, and she could see he was resisting the urge to laugh. Normally she was the one laughing at him!  
His eyes were dancing, full of mischief and vibrancy and.. something else. Something that made her feel strangely good.   
"I bet that if I can get everyone to follow this dance, you have to join me. Deal?"  
She shook her head, smiling exasperatedly. "Deal. As if you'll do it," she said, folding she arms. He laughed, running off to Kartal.   
"Oh yeah? Watch me!"

Sabine watched as he ran over to Kartal, and a disbelieving smile crept up on her face as Kartal and Ezra rounded up all the people and got a different song playing, one as full of energy as the padawan who danced in front of her now in a line with two little kids, and then the other adults and children joined in, clapping. Then they joined pairs, and Ezra beckoned for her to join him. She hesitated, then saw his ridiculous expression as he pulled the big eyes on her and she gave in, running towards his arms.   
They danced - she danced, around and around, her hands and his hands connected as they leaned back and spun. He laughed again, a clear, happy sound that made her heart leap.   
"I win! And you said you didn't dance!"  
She beamed at him, feeling that glow of joy again.  
"I do now."

They both laughed as tried dipped my her and almost completely failed. For Sabine it was exhilarating. She hadn't felt this free in years. For Ezra, well, just seeing her happy made him even happier. And he got to dip her! Which guy wouldn't have a big smile across his face if he got to do that?  
Kartal watched them with amusement. So Ezra had gotten himself a lady. All was going well.   
He decided he'd put on a slower song next. But something that suited the boy, all the same. They were started as the next song that played was a little slower, with a three beat. Ezra enjoyed it, all the same. Time to bust some moves!  
He though. Sabine felt even more fluttery.  
Oh, she thought as all the couples put their arms around each other. In most other things, she was the one in control. But here, Ezra for once seemed to know what he was doing. And he did so now, smiling at how flustered she seemed and feeling very manly for the first time. He knew it probably wouldn't last, but still.   
"Re-lax. You put your arms around me like this - " he placed her arms on his shoulders, making her blush, and he gulped only slightly as he put his hands in her hips.   
"There. Now just count 1-2-3 and we're good!"  
She was uncomfortable at first, trying to copy everyone else, until he grinned and looked into her eyes. "Hey.   
Trust me?"  
She rolled her eyes and said, "Course, dummy."  
He smiled wider and said, "So just - just focus on me. It's easy for you to do that, am I right? And the song, of course."  
She tried in, looking into those sapphire blue eyes and not his hands on her hums, the swinging rhythm of the song.   
"It's not so hard!" She exclaimed, and Ezra was pleased. "There you go! Now you can enjoy yourself."  
It was lucky she was a fast learner, because now she could focus on him, and he on her, and not tripping over her own feet. She looked at his smiling face, tinged a little pink, and beamed at him. As they danced, they seemed to draw closer and closer to one another - but they didn't notice. All they saw was each other's smiles, and the warmth cascading over them where their hands touched their shoulders and waist. They were in utter bliss.

When the song ended, the two realised how late it was and prepared to say goodbye to Kartal, who was sad to see them go.   
"Come back next year, eh my boy? Next time you must stay for the food! Give your friend a drink!" Kartal boomed, slapping Ezra in the back as Sabine sniggered.   
"And you too, my dear. I have not seen Ezra this happy in a long time. You have brought him back to us!"  
Ezra rolled his eyes and said, "well now you put it that way... Of course I'll come. See ya, Kartal! Don't get caught!"  
Kartal chuckled and said, "You too! Be safe, Ezra Bridger," as they walked out, unaware that they were holding hands.

Zeb saw them as they strolled out of the tunnel, and Chopper whistled.  
Zeb grinned wolfishly.  
"How was the date?" He asked Ezra, and Chopper clacked, making Ezra scowl furiously as if to say I told you not to mention it!   
They broke apart, and Sabine looked incredibly embarrassed and flushed, but also... pleased? Happy? Ezra wasn't sure how many emotions he sensed, but they were all good, and he sensed one that he couldn't quite name.

As they got back to the Ghost, Sabine shyly thanked Ezra.  
"Uh - I wanted to say thank you. For the dancing. It was actually pretty fun. I haven't danced since... since Mandalore."  
Ezra showed his hands into his pockets and grinned.  
"I tooooold you. Who's your best bud?"  
She pushed him to one side playfully, and he pushed her back as they got to their rooms, giving each other one last smile as they said goodnight.  
Ezra whooped and did a victory dance back in his room, singing "I went on a date with a girl cuz I'm AWESOOME!" while Zeb applauded.  
Sabine buried her face in a pillow and screeched, whirling around, trying to remember it all before bursting into laughter for no apparent reason. The next thing she knew, she was calling up Ketsu, and her sister's words of "I told you so!" were celebratory enough. "Tell me everything."


	26. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra gets shot pushing Sabine out of the way and is stuck (shirtless by the way) in a bacta tank, unconscious. Sabine can't do anything, can't eat or sleep, and feels helpless. She won't leave his side, and as she watches over him she gets a realisation that she did not expect....

Kanan walked over to where Hera was standing, watching over the bacta tank and the scruffy looking mandalorian girl slumped on the cushioned seat beside it.   
"I'm worried about her, Kanan," Hera said, the twilek's green eyes filled with concern. Kanan put an arm around her as the observed, but didn't approach.

"She knows he's going to be okay, but she hasn't moved from that seat in three days." Hera confided, her lekku curling and uncurling in anxiousness. The Jedi spoke in a low voice, "I know. Even though it could have happened to any of us, she blames herself for it."  
Hera's voice was pained.   
"She hasn't eaten, she hasn't slept - I know I'm not her mom, but we have to help her!"

They carried on watching as Sabine went up to the tank and let out a low moan. Because there, submerged in the bacta, was Ezra.   
Clothed only from the bottom, the scar in his side was deep, but rapidly healing. His bare chest was brown and lean, and little scratches showed on his abdomen. He had had a tough life on the streets, and had been through a lot, but Sabine remembered the events of three days ago as if it was a tape playing over and over and over again in her mind. And she blamed only herself.

It was an ordinary mission. Get some valuable intel for their new base, nothing bad about that. Nothing to signify any more danger than usual. But the Empire was prepared. And Sabine knew she should have seen it coming. But she didn't. Only Ezra, force-sensitive Ezra, could sense the blaster bolt coming towards her, shooting at her from the back. He acted before he thought. He pushed her away, landing on top of her when the pain seared into his side. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he screamed an inhuman scream. Sabine yelled, putting on her back with almost superhuman strength and telling him to hold on, and how sorry she was. She felt as though she were the one who was shot.   
The last thing he mumbled to her before blacking out was, "Guess you owe me twice," and she knew with a plummeting feeling that he was referring to the Inquisitors. And as she watched the med-bots take him away when they were safely inside the fleet, her heart felt like it would rip open.

Seeing him like this now, aqua breather in his mouth and unconscious, seemingly a shell of his former self - it nearly broke her. She hadn't seen his smile in three whole days. She hadn't heard him make a bad joke, hadn't witnessed him trip over himself. She hadn't bickered with him or teased him. She'd give anything to have him back.  
And she thought it was all her fault. If only she'd been faster, looked behind her, made sure he was safe...  
This was a painful reminder that it wasn't some movie or game. This was real - and it left people hurt. The last thing she would ever want, she realised, was to see him hurt like this.   
And the worst part? The waiting.  
Waiting for him to wake up, for him to be okay. She couldn't do anything to take her mind off of it. She couldn't even bring herself to paint, it was that bad. When she tried, all she could see was his smile, his laugh - and it was too much to bear. He was the only thing on her mind, and it hurt.

It was then she realised, like a bolt of lighting had gone through her, how much she truly cared for him. They'd been through so much in so little time. He was still the cocky street kid that flirted and smiled at her when she met him - but he was more sure of himself, happier and fuller.   
He was her family now, as much as any of them. And she could finally admit it to herself - he was more than an ally or a friend. He was family, her best friend and partner in crime.  
And, dare she say it, she loved him.  
She didn't know what 'romance' felt like, but the way she felt about Ezra? The butterflies swooping in her stomach whenever he did something cute or funny, the way he looked at her when she laughed, the fact that he was on her mind more than she liked to say, and most secret of all - her dreams featured him, sometimes. Could that be it? She's never told anybody about that, ever, and that was why she couldn't sleep. For fear that she'd wake up and he'd still be in a coma, and the only time she'd see him again would be in her dreams. There was much more - little things every day that didn't count for much when you looked at them one a t a time, but for Sabine they all counted up, and when she looked back at them she woke up to how much he liked her, and how much she actually liked him. Maybe it was more than that.   
There were a lot of maybes. And Sabine knew that it was all so confusing - but it was starting to clear up. It only took Ezra not being with her to see it. How blind she'd been.

She looked up at him again, pressing her fingers to the glass. If her were awake, she knew what he'd say.  
"Didn't know you cared so much, Sabine. You don't need to cry over me - I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself. You get some sleep now, and try not to dream about me. Everything's going to be okay."  
Sabine sighed, massaging her temples. She was not about to hallucinate Ezra being there. She decided to take Daydream Ezra's advice and get some sleep.

Zeb walked in, bringing in her favourite food, a blanket and pillow as well as her sketch pad. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but had no energy left.

"Stop punishing yourself, Sabine. You need to eat and rest. Relax. It's what he'd want." Zeb said kindly. She felt tears prickle her eyes and tried to blink them away.   
"He'd tell me that stuff and brag about his war wounds," Sabine choked out, and Zeb's ears folded, his eyes becoming catlike and sad. He wrapped a hairy arm around her, and age couldn't help but start to cry. Odd, since she never cried in front of anyone, usually - not even when Chopper was around. She normally held it all in and only ever let it out when she was alone. But Zen was her big brother, and so similar to her - gruff the outside, soft on the inside. And everything that she'd been holding in crumbled and flowed out of her in tears. She wept onto his fur, sobbing now, and he patted her hair, comforting her as well as he could.

She finally managed to stop and get a grip of herself.  
"Sorry about that, Zeb. And - and thank you," she said shakily. Zeb smiled a tender, brotherly smile and grunted, "S'alright. This fur's very absorbent. You get some rest now, okay?"  
She nodded and Chopper came in, blarping comfortingly.   
"Hey Chop. You okay?" She asked, her eyes still red. Chopper made a few disbelieving buzzes, like you're asking ME? And then beeped sadly. Sabine nodded. "Yeah, I miss him too. No, no, I'm alright. I feel better now. Kinda."  
Chopper and Zeb both sat with her, and she was glad for the company. She got along with Chopper more than any other crew member did with him. The cantankerous little droid had a place in her heart. And she strongly suspected that Chopper loved Ezra too.  
She didn't realise how tired she was until Chopper pointed out the bags under her eyes, and Zeb covered her with the blanket.   
"Sleep tight. We'll be back in the morning with breakfast." Zeb said, and they left without arguing for once.   
They knew that no matter what's they said to her she wouldn't budget from the med bay, as they saw how bad she felt and how much she needed to watch over Ezra.   
Sabine was more exhausted than she had been in a long, long time. She finally gave in, and took Ezra with her into her dreams.

Morning

Sabine's eyes fluttered open, and her worst fears were realised - Ezra was gone from the bacta tank. She sprung out of the chair, breathing hard. Where was he? Why had no one woken her up? What had happened?   
And then the last voice she expected to hear came from behind her.  
"I'm right here, Sunshine," said the weary but light and very familiar voice. She whipped around, and there he was, grinning weakly at her.

He was resting in the patient's chair, medbot at his side. His wound had completely healed, and he was in a white med gown. Her eyes widened and her throat blocked up. She couldn't speak, couldn't move. Was this... Was this real?  
"Morning, sleeping beauty. Miss me?" He asked teasingly. In that instant she lunged towards him and threw her arms around him, grinning crazily, much to the medbot's disapproving, "Careful! The patient is still delicate! You should know this!"  
He only laughed, "Woah there!" But hugged her back, feeling like a million credits.  
She smiled a wide smile, full of relief, and started tearing up. He traced her cheek, as if in a dream and seeing if it was real, and to his disbelief it was. He saw her eyes fill up and he started,  
"Hey now - I'm all better, see? Not even that much of a scar. I have to say, it masked me even more badass that usual."  
She looked right at him, guilt and sorrow coming back.  
"Ezra I'm so - "  
He cut her off, placing a finger to her lips and shushing her.   
"Shushhh. Don't say it. Don't be so hard on yourself. I did it for you to live, not to neglect yourself over me. Besides, I knew I'd be okay. Somehow. And I figured you'd owe me another one. Amongst other her things. Point is, it's not your fault. If anything it's the Empire's. I did it to protect you."

She felt herself release of all the fears and guilt she'd had over the past three days, and he smiled up at her.   
"Ezra Bridger," she said. Nothing else, just his name, as thought it were something magical.  
"That's me," he said, his voice sounding ragged.  
They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment longer.

"So, um, do you wanna get breakfast? Because, seeing as I haven't eaten in three days, I am especially hungry. In fact, I could probably eat Zeb!" he exclaimed. She snorted.   
"I doubt he'd taste very nice - not that I would know. And, um, will your bodyguard here allow you to get up?"  
The medbot seemed to be glaring at her, until Ezra put on a sad face and said, "C'mon, buddy. Please? I'm reeeeeeally hungry. It's not good for my health if I'm hungry! That should be on your protocol, at least."  
Ezra pouted even more, and the medbot huffed. "Fine. I will return for you in one hour. You need some more rest before you can function properly."  
Ezra whooped and sat up so fast Sabine had to prop him up before he collapsed again. "Ahem. I'll, uh, take him from here. Thank you." She said to the grumpy medbot and they walked away, Ezra struggling a little but allowing Sabine to hold him, and feeling more comfortable than he should. It wasn't often a pretty girl helped him walk to get breakfast.  
"Wow," she said in a low voice, "He's grumpier than Chopper. And I have to say, you were laying it on pretty thick back there. I'm almost impressed."  
Ezra staggered a little as he laughed, and then stretched himself out. "Hoo. It's been a while since I've been on my feet. And what are you talking about? My charm impresses everyone. Including you. I know you were watching over me, Wren. And I gotta say, I wasn't expecting that. So.. Thank you."

She scoffed, trying to hide her embarrassment and ducking her head. "You should have. It's the least I could do. And you, with charm? Please. You couldn't charm the life out of a dead nerf."  
"Ouch. That hurts right inside. My pride is trashed."

They went to meet Hera, Zeb, Kanan and Chopper.  
Zeb grabbed him into a bear hug as soon as he caught sight of him, lifting him into the air with a big grin.  
"Good to have you back, kid!" He yelled, and Ezra smiled while wincing. "Thanks, big guy. Ouch, watch the ribs, the ribs!"  
Even Chopper put a mechanical arm around his waist, while Kanan ruffled his hair. Sabine beamed at all of them.  
Hera guided Ezra to the chair and kissed the top of his head. She was the first to hug and mother him, but couldn't resist again.  
"Go ahead, eat whatever you want," she said to him and he grinned happily. Then she whispered, "I haven't seen her up from that chair or smiling in three days. You've made her come alive again."  
Ezra smiled. "You know it, Hera. Thanks," and he swiped a roll on Zeb's plate. Zeb swatted his hand, but the roll was already down Ezra's throat.   
"When she said anything you want, it did not mean what's on my plate," Zeb growled, but good naturedly. They sat, and while Ezra made a big show of eating as Hera fussed over him (to his immense satisfaction), Kanan nudged Sabine.   
"I see you're feeling better," he said, and Sabine blushed a little. "Of course. He's back," she responded, and she laughed as Ezra called at her with his mouth full and balancing a spoon on his nose with the Force. Kanan let him get away with it, this time.   
"Everything's back to normal," she said, feeling that nothing was wrong anymore.  
And it was back to normal. Except for one thing. Sabine had finally accepted how she felt about him.


	27. Unhello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is my version of the goodbye scene that WE SHOULD HAVE HAD between Ezra and Sabine in the mystery of Chopper Base (c'mon Filoni.)

Set just after the Mystery of Chopper Base

Sabine stood at the ramp of the Phantom, watching Ezra, Kanan and Ahsoka prepare to leave. She'd held in her feelings all day, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it up.

Kanan first. He patted her on the back in a totally dad move, and she hugged him, making Ahsoka smile.   
"See you later Kanan. Come back in one piece, or Hera will murder you."  
Kanan half smiled, his eyes soft with warmth. "We'll try. Take care of Hera for me, will ya?" He asked her, and she rolled her eyes.  
"Of course. But I'm sure if she were present here and not watching from the Ghost she would elbow you and tell you that you need more protection than she does."

Kanan grinned, somewhat   
sadly.   
"I know. Stay safe, Sabine."  
Ezra came downs Kanan said, "5 minutes."   
The corners of Ezra's mouth twisted into a smile as he found Sabine at the bottom of the ramp.  
"Hey. Can I get a hug now?"  
Her stomach whirled, and she tried to keep herself together.  
"Come back safe and then we'll see. Finally heading off to beat the bad guys?"  
He nodded, a little half heartedly.   
"Duh. Won't take us too long. But... If it does... And we might not be back for a while... This might be it, y'know?"  
He seemed to stumble over his words, and her fears rose into her chest. He was trying to say something that would melt her heart, but also it would scare her, because there was the possibility that what he was saying could be true. She hated farewells. Every single time, she felt like the other person was never coming back.

Instead of panicking, she put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Hey, you don't know that. And don't try and say a big goodbye. I... I don't like goodbyes. So let's just call this, um... unhello."

He cracked up.  
"Unhello? Seriously? Come on. You're supposed to look into my eyes and said, "Ezra Bridger, where have you been all my life?"   
She rolled her eyes and snorted.  
"No way - that is the cheesiest thing you've come up with in weeks!"  
He tried lightening the mood even more.  
"Fine then. How 'bout 'later, haters?'"  
She sniggered. "Nope. And since when are you a hater?"  
He tilted his head, but didn't stop.  
"Touché. What about 'I gots ta bizounce?"  
She burst out laughing, "Force help me, that is the stupidest one yet!"  
She held a hand to her mouth and clutched the railing with laughter as he grinned happily. He made her laugh. That almost made the trip worth it.

She looked up at him and his eyes were full of warmth and also sadness. And she realised how much she was going to hate it when he was gone.  
"You know, a year ago I never thought I'd say this to you, but... I think I'm going to miss you."  
Ezra was delighted, but tried not to show it, much.  
He simply said, "Don't worry, 'Bine. I'll be back for that hug."  
She poked his nose, making him blink and grin.  
"Good. Or you're in for it worse than the Inquisitors. Smell you later Bridger."  
He waved and called back his favourite response, "Anytime Wren."


	28. Splashes of Colour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set a few weeks after the season finale, Ezra is heartbroken and utterly guilty about Kanan's blindness. Sabine has to cheer him up before it's too late and he stops smiling for good.

He lit up her life. He shone whenever she felt like plunging into darkness and was the hand pulling her out of the deep waters of fear and sadness.  
He was there in the morning, just smiling away at her whenever she happened to look his direction.

She didn't understand it at first. He went to say goodbye and go back to his life of being alone again, and yet he still smiled at her, while she looked at him in confusion and then sadness.  
He grinned at her during breakfast, for seemingly no reason at all.  
He beamed at her every time she took a good shot at a buckethead, or blew up something and made it look awesome. He gave her a little awkward smile before he plummeted off the Ghost for kriff's sake!

And she couldn't understand why. He had lost just as much as her, and grew up on his own for 7 years. How was he so jokey, so confident and cocky?  
And why the hell did those special smiles, constantly at her and not at anyone else mind you (he insulted Zeb and looked grumpily at Chopper on a regular basis), make her feel so... So... Jumpy? She couldn't find the word.

Then she figured it out after Empire Day - and how his anger and sadness unnerved her so much, seeing how he was normally nothing but jokes and flirting around her until Tseebo arrived.  
He used his humour and sarcasm as a coping mechanism, much like she portrayed the tough talking Mandalorian explosives expert who painted to keep her head.  
She understood him a lot better after that, and they became real friends. Oh, they still bickered, and he flirted and still shot her those special smiles, but it didn't confuse her or irritate her anymore. She grew to appreciate and love that side of him, and didn't want the sad side to come out. In some ways, she was the seriousness to his fun (although she could completely take a joke and play pranks on Zeb and Chopper when they got time.)  
They were a team. He could somehow cheer her up in her worst moments. And she took it completely for granted.

Until one day he stopped smiling.

She noticed it the day after Kanan went blind. She didn't know if it was permanent, but ever since Ezra had come back he hadn't smiled once. He was despondent. And it frightened her. For the past three weeks, she couldn't see the smile pop up at breakfast, it wouldn't come when Zeb said something funny - all she saw was sadness and hurt and guilt.  
She had been missing him while he was gone - it was strange not to see that mop of hair pop up and his eyes twinkle as he helped out. She was longing for him to come back, however in bad shape they were, and be his usual self. But she was wrong.

He no longer looked up at her - at anyone, with a smile on his face. She got that he was deeply impacted by Maul's betrayal and blinding Kanan, not knowing what happened to Ahsoka and Vader breaking his lightsaber. It had shattered what was left of their peace when they settled on the base and she wished a thousand times over that they hadn't have left. She remembered that when they arrived, she and Ezra had looked at each other and he was filled with pain, so much that he couldn't even speak.

It hurt her too much to see Kanan like this - unable to see and using the Force as his guide as well as Hera and Chopper. Hera said he would heal - but whether his sight would come back they didn't know for now. What was worse than his blindness were his wounds, and every time she saw them she wanted to cry.  
She knew Ezra blamed himself for trusting Darth Maul, as well as losing Ahsoka - and she sensed a darkness in him that she'd only seen on Empire Day.  
She tried to make conversation with him, give him food and help him as well as Kanan - but it didn't work. He managed only a small little twitch every time he tried to smile, and continued to be angry, guilty and depressed - especially when he looked at Kanan.

He hadn't even mentioned the hug she owed him when he came back.

So she knew that she had to cheer  
him up. She had to help him. In the only way she knew how.

She talked to Zeb and Hera about it at first, and they completely agreed.  
"Yes. This has gone on too long. We need him. Not this shell of himself. The cocky version. The one who stole my food and pranked Chopper and made the worst jokes ever. The one who shared drinks and made bets with me. Now it's terrible. He won't even talk to me." Zeb growled.

Hera nodded. "He needs to be there for Kanan too. He's shouldering all the responsibility, and he won't come out of his room or talk to any of us. Help him, Sabine. I think you're the only one who can now."

"Right then." She said, determinedly. "I'm gonna go get our boy back."

Sabine grabbed her paints and brushes, canisters, water and two canvases and with her arms full marched to Ezra's room and kicked at the door to get it open. He looked up from where he was curled up on the top of his bunk, unwilling to move, and his eyes widened in shock, and then confusion.  
Oh, how she wished he would just crack a joke or make a flirty comment about how she came to visit him.  
Just say something! Anything!

She decided she had to be the one to talk first.  
"Hey - is this a good time? I wanted you to - uh, paint. Properly. We could do it together. We have time, and I got new paints. It's now or never. Want to join me?"

He took a deep breath, prepared to decline, and then saw the hopeful, pleading look in her eyes. It wasn't one he saw regularly.  
He croaked out "Uuhmm" and then cleared his throat.

She held her breath, praying that he'd say something like yes.  
He took a deep breath and looked up any her with different eyes, softer and brighter for what felt like the first time in weeks.  
"I guess I could. I mean, I've always got time for you, Sabine. And painting? I... I wouldn't mind."  
He cracked a little half smile at her - not his usual full one, mind you, but just a little one. But it was more than she'd seen in a long while, and her heart lifted. She could do this.

10 minutes later

"So... The paint goes where?" Ezra asked, only half jokingly as he hesitated towards the blank canvas as if he were afraid of it, a brilliant shade of blue on his brush.  
Like his eyes, Sabine thought before rolling her own eyes and taking his hand, making him jump.  
"Wherever you want." She replied, but he just looked up at her in a dazed, confused way. Like a lost lothcat. She wanted to hug him and run her fingers through his hair and tell him it would be okay, it would all be okay. But she held herself back.  
She decided instead to let her own views about art out, and how it could help.  
"Okay, what do you want to paint? It could be anything. Something beautiful, something ugly, a person or a place. Something you never want to forget. Just... Paint what you feel. Art is where you emotions come alive, and you can release them onto the page and let go of them. Paint from the heart. Use the brush and whatever colours you have - and the best part is that when you paint, your emotions sort of - leave you, and you're just focused on painting, and they escape onto the canvas and you feel alive when just seeing the magic happen..."

As she spoke, something was happening to Ezra, his jaw slightly open in amazement. Never had she really spoken with such feeling before, and he could see why she loved art. She expressed herself in the best way possible for her, and now she was sharing it with him. It made him feel all tingly inside again, warm and glowing, a feeling he hadn't had for what seemed like ages.

Sabine noticed his mouth was open, resisted a full on laugh and closed it for him.  
Ezra gulped and said, "Right - right so - I got it. Um, the twin moons on Lothal. I was on this cliff - right after we met Ryder Azadi - and they were amazing, Sabine. You didn't get to see them, but they were beautiful. So I guess I could paint those. I'd never forget them. Me and - and Kanan, we were there - and before that, my parents... Kanan said they'd always be with me. And I think they were."

A slow, joyful smile spread across Sabine's face. She put a hand to her lips and then quickly covered up by saying, "There you go. I can't wait to see them. Go wild!"  
He looked refreshed, awake and with new purpose. He started, pointing to the paints and running off to find some more blue.

She set up on his right, collecting fiery, bright colours - brilliant vermillion and sunset orange, flaxen and soft yellow, black and navy for his hair in that light, burnt umber and copper and rose for his skin, ivory white and burgundy for his laugh.  
She wanted to capture his real laugh, the one she hadn't seen in so long, the happy, surprised blast of pure joy.

She positioned herself where she could clearly see him, and watched as he arrived, armed with multiple blues and golds, whites and blacks.  
She saw him take a breath and mix the blues and blacks together several times to get exactly the right shade.  
She observed as he touched the blue to the canvas, and let out a gasp of delight before he swept a sea of cobalt across the page.  
She'd rarely seen him so focused, and she knew exactly how he felt. It was how she escaped and freed herself, over and over again, and let go of thing for the time being.

Then he turned his head suddenly, and she averted her eyes, going slightly red.  
He did something that amazed her and delighted her then: he grinned at her. It wasn't as wide as his usual grins, sure, but it was a grin all right. And the first one she'd seen. She felt incredible. Objective one achieved!  
He said, almost mischievously, "You can check me out if you want, Wren. It's not every day you get to see me paint."  
She felt fluttery and ecstatic, but simply rolled her eyes that were crinkling at the corners now and couldn't keep the satisfaction out of her voice as she said, "In your dreams, Bridger," and got to work.  
He sniggered, "Duuuh. Where else would you be?"  
She let out a mix of a groan and laughter. He flirted! And it may have been as bad as ever, but for once it made her feel really, really jittery and... and good!

Now she got lost in her thoughts and her painting.  
It was almost as if she had his laugh memorised while he was gone. So in her world of her own she was that she didn't notice notice Ezra sneaking glances at her until she was almost finished and went for more water - and somehow this made her feel something that filled her up and made her feel like a thousand butterflies were zooming around as if drunk.

Ezra never really knew what it was like to be so focused until Kanan and his Jedi training. He'd always had too much to do, stuff to steal, jokes to crack, people to con and troopers to dodge.  
But now he could finally lose himself and the awful things that had happened and focus on his painting, even though he still couldn't get rid of the pit in his stomach. But it was lessening now. Everything that had weighed down on him seemed to dissipate as his painted. He wasn't thinking about all of it now. The guilt and regret died down - not permanently, but just so he could concentrate and relax. He could see why she loved it so much. And he owed her now.

Except that while that focus was being achieved, he couldn't help slipping away from the memory of the twin moons and his emotions to Sabine painting.  
She often brushed her vibrant hair away from her face behind her ear, something he noticed she'd do when she was tried to concentrate, and often when she was nervous.  
Her brown eyes flashed golden orange in the light, and his chest swooped every time her tongue poked out between her teeth to paint something fiddly.  
So he stole glances at her whenever he could help it, and resumed painting.  
Once, he caught her full on studying him and then adding another stroke in. Could it be possible that she was - Nah. No way. She wouldn't paint him.

The day was nearly over when they finished, hands and cheeks stained with colours and hair a mess. They grinned at each other, and while Ezra wasn't completely himself, he seemed to have lost some of the weight he was bearing. Sabine's eyes sparkled.  
Ezra revealed his painting proudly, and she actually clapped, covering her mouth in astonishment.  
The twin moons lit up the blue night, the hills were brushed to almost perfection, and Ezra and Kanan stood in the middle, Kanan's arming Ezra's shoulders. Ezra's parents appeared as silhouettes beside them.  
Sabine couldn't breathe. She knew how much this meant to him.  
"Oh my gosh - Ezra, it's..." She couldn't finish, and Ezra babbled.  
"Not bad for my first time, huh? I mean, I'm nowhere near your level, but still. It's for them. And Kanan. To say thank you, I guess."

She gave him a huge smile and said, "It's beautiful! More thank beautiful. And - there aren't words for how impressed I am."  
Ezra's face lit up.  
"Have I entered an alternate universe or did you just full on smile and compliment me?" He asked her, and she ducked her head.

Then he looked back at the painting and his eyes moistened, and the trance of painting he was in stopped.  
"I just... I wish he could see it. I - it's all my fault, I should have been the one - " and with that he broke, tears glistening from his eyes. Sabine felt his pain and took two steps, wrapping her arms around him.  
She hugged him, and he hugged her back. "No. Don't. It's not your fault, Ezra Bridger. It's Maul's. At least Kanan's alive. We'll find a way for him to be okay again. I promise."  
He sniffled, and then blinked the tears away. "Thanks, Sabine. It means a lot." He said gratefully.  
"Hey - I owed you a hug anyway."  
After that, he seemed a little happier. "And it was sure worth it."

Then he looked at her, realisation dawning as he became annoyed.  
"If you tell anyone I cried on YOUR shoulder, I'll kill you. I'm serious Sabine - you'd better not tell Zeb. Or Chopper. Anything."  
She laughed, caringly and smugly at the same time as he huffed and looked away.  
"Don't worry, Whiskers. I won't tell a soul. You can look like a big man in front of everyone else but you'll always be a softie with me."  
He scowled and tried not to laugh as she patted him on the back. She hadn't called him Whiskers in months. They'd been too busy.

Suddenly, he reached forward to see her painting, and she grew embarrassed.  
"Um - no it's not ready - I mean it is but you don't have to see it ye-" she was cut off as Ezra gaped at her painting, stunned. Because right on the canvas was himself in a splash of reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blacks streaked across the page, with little drops on the side for effect on his hair. They contrasted with the sharp blue glint of his eyes and the brightness of his wide laugh.

Sabine waited for his reaction, and what she saw was that Ezra had slightly torn up again. He was blown away, and couldn't speak for several minutes. It made him realise that he'd been so completely miserable in guilt and hating and blaming himself. He couldn't believe she's done this of him. He really couldn't. He would have never expected it, no matter how much showing off he did. And it also reconfirmed his suspicions that she had him in her mind more than she let on.

When it did come out, and he had composed himself, she was surprised about how squeaky it sounded.  
"Well it seems you've got me and my laugh memorised. This - uh, it makes mine look like a scribble. I'm not surprised, but the whole thing? It's... It's incredible, even if I do say so my self, cuz it's my beauty."  
She snorted, and put a hand on his shoulder. She had no idea how close to the truth his first comment had hit.  
"Yeah, yeah. But don't be self depreciating. It doesn't suit you and is not true. You've got talent."

Ezra was shocked, and then smug.  
"Ooh. You're just a shower of compliments today, aren't you?!"  
She rolled her eyes and said, "Well, I mean them. There, I said it. Happy now, Wise Guy?"  
He gave her a crooked grin and picked up the painting.  
"Yup. Almost totally satisfied."

Sabine raised an eyebrow. "Almost? Don't tell me you want to keep it. It's mine, all mine."  
She realised too late the undertone of what she said and how he had taken it as his eyebrows shot up and the first great, fat, cocky smile spread across his face in weeks. Ohh nooo. As much as she was happy about the smile she got out of him, she had given away too much!  
She needed earplugs and a rock to crawl under and die of shame now, as he begun his never ending roll of comebacks to that.

"REEEALLY! Like having my face right where you can see it 24/7, huh Wren? I always knew you had a thing for hot Jedi scoundrels. Dang! Who knew you'd be so forward? I mean, I knew this day would come, but never now or today! How has this developed! First you invite me to paint with you, then you paint ME, and now I'm all for keeps!"

She groaned and turned beetroot red. "That is not what I - don't get ideas - oh for kriff's sake!"  
She pushed him out of her room as he prattled on.  
"I mean, just how often am I on your mind. Do you like, search me up and find my profile on the Holonet when no one is around? Cause I bet you do. Aside from secretly checking me out. I know what's up."  
Her face got even redder.  
"You are the most insufferable person I've ever met! You know what I meant."  
"Oh, yeah," Ezra grinned again. "I definitely know. You've really warmed up to me, haven't cha?"  
She pursed her lips and growled,  
"Uuugh. Goodnight!" as the door shut. He laughed, feeling happier than he had in a month, and almost skipped down the hall, extremely pleased with himself. "Have fun with my face!" He yelled as she groaned and banged her head on the wall.  
Even now he was so annoying. And yet that didn't stop her placing the panting above her bed, alongside photos of their crew, beautiful scenes, posters and memories. She knew that deep down inside, his happiness was something that she hoped would never die. And whatever the future held, there was only time for them to heal, repair and for things to get better. They may have been shaken up, but they weren't completely out of it. Not this time. They would always be there to fight back and bring justice to the Empire. They would bounce back eventually. And a new hope would surface.


	29. Undercover Bet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezr and Sabine make a bet, involving a date and doing somebody's chores for a week. IT gets a little out of hand when that bet has to be served - while undercover....

It was Ezra, Sabine and Zeb on a stakeout. Kanan had planned it all out: a raid on the imperial food supplies to give to the people on Garel. They would ambush the troopers and cause a distraction and then aid Chopper and Kanan in hauling the food away. Hera in the Ghost and the A Wing pilots were waiting if they needed backup.  
And Ezra and Sabine were bantering, as usual, as they waited on the rooftop for Zeb's signal.

"I bet I can knock out the most troopers!" Ezra exclaimed as quietly as he could, while Sabine snorted.  
"Please. You might have the Force on your side, but I am way faster."

He raised an eyebrow.  
"You sure about that,'Bine? Cause I'm pretty sure I could make your knees knock with my skills," he said, and she scoffed, her eyes ready for action. She loved a good competition.

"I could take you down any time, any day, Bridger. You know what? If I knock out more, and get on the Phantom first, you have to do all my chores for two weeks."

Ezra winced - two weeks?! - but then decided that he could do this. And he would raise the stakes even higher. And then he got such a mind-blowing idea that he was surprised at himself. A slow spreading but wicked grin spread across his face and he said, wiggling his eyebrows,   
"Deal! And because I'm gonna win, as well as chores, you have to go on a date with me."   
He saw her expression of shock and... something else, and she said, "What?! No way."

He felt disappointed, but decided to persuade her further. "Yes way. What, come on, it won't be like going out with someone like Lando for example."  
She shuddered. "Don't you bring that up again. He messed around with our brains."  
He muttered, "He messed around with your brain. Ahem, I mean, exactly. It'll just be the cheesiest of cheesy dates - it won't even be a real date!"

He was lying through his teeth, of course. He wanted this. Badly. And he suspected that somewhere in that beautiful mind of hers she did too.

"Oh yeah?" She replied, sceptically. "Sure. You know what? A date is too big for just chores. You have to give me that new helmet you got. The Inquisitor one. For keeps,"

Ezra groaned. He wanted to growl, 'Nuh-uh. It's mine!!' But the temptation of a date was too much. So he just said, "Hmm. As much as I like that helmet, it's so worth it. Deal."  
Somewhere far in the galaxy, thunder and lightning probably crashed, and Zeb gave the signal.  
Sabine and Ezra grinned evilly at each other as they leaped off the roof; Sabine launching off and somersaulting through the air, thinking she's got the head start.   
In reality, Ezra was only giving her head start so he could show off his move: the Force Jump.

She started shooting as Ezra yelled, "Watch this!"   
And she was stunned as Ezra literally flew through the air, drop kicking one trooper on the way in. Kriff, she got distracted!  
"That counts as two by the way!" He shouted as he nailed them with his blaster-lightsaber.

"Not fair," she called to him as she shot troopers one by one, knocking them out cold and counting 1, 2, 3, 4, as she spoke.

"Yeah! He was like 7 foot tall!" He shouted back, and she raised her eyes to the heavens while shoulder rolling and spinning kicked a buckethead who was screaming, "Die, rebel scum!"  
Ouch. Their catchphrases were terrible, and so old. 17, 18, 19...

Ezra, to her satisfaction, pointed this out to one of them as he slid under one and shouted, "22! Nice one there, Wren. Also, you guys really need to work on your insults. Get a brain one of these days."

She was shocked as he force swept their guns out of their arms, not before thwacking himself on the leg though. Hmm. He had gotten much, much better - though he was still clumsy! And wait - he was gaining. No! She could not let him win. She shot behind her without looking, hearing with a satisfied oof! someone being knocked out, and she knew that it had met is mark. Still got it, she thought. "Beat that, Bridger!" She yelled as she got to the crates. She was going to do this! Chopper got in her way suddenly, accusing her of flirting with Ezra.  
"What? Oh, please. I was NOT flirting! We made a bet, and I'm going to win it! I'm looking forward to not doing my chores for the next two weeks."

She grabbed a crate and headed off, sprinting for the oncoming Phantom while still blasting away at the troopers. Then she was blown away as Ezra fired three shots and bowled the troopers over to Zeb, who got onto the Phantom with two crates. He swooped over and force picked up the crates, a little shakily, and they both lunged for the Phantom, Ezra getting there by half a second as be soared over her. She was outraged. He beat her?! How?!

Then she spotted Chopper and Zeb, standing in the corner and giggling. They helped in this! Zeb with his teamwork with Ezra and Chopper... With his distraction! Uuughhh!  
She felt betrayed. Personally betrayed.

Ugh! Damn the Force and Ezra's trickery!  
"That's cheating!" She said furiously.  
Ezra grinned smugly, a satisfied, cocky expression plonked on his face.   
"You never said we couldn't cheat. I mean, you did have a head start. But I got 22. You got 20, and plus, I got here first.   
C'mon. You know what happens next."

As Zeb and Chopper wolf whistled, Sabine growled, "I hate this.. I hate this!"   
Ezra couldn't resist getting down on one knee and holding his hands out to her dramatically, and she face palmed.

"Sabine Wren, will you do the honour of going on the cheesiest date ever with me?"  
She groaned and he sniggered delightedly.   
"Well, I can't exactly say no - so as much as it pains me to say, yes."

Ezra whooped and jumped for joy, and started fist bumping everyone in the vicinity while Chopper sprayed confetti.  
Where the hell did he get confetti from?, she thought grumpily, and Zeb put his arm around her, laughing his throaty laugh.  
"At least it won't be boring, eh?" He grinned, and Sabine looked desperate.  
"Zeb, I've never actually been on a date like this before! What am I supposed to do?"  
Zeb looked surprised, and then reassured her.  
"Hey. Relax. It's Ezra. That kid won't do anything serious or nasty. He's just a short, kinda scrawny ball of mischief and fun. Besides, it's a prank date. It's meant to be terrible!"

Sabine sighed and pushed back her hair. She didn't know when or where Ezra would take her, but she did know he'd never let her hear the end of it.

1 Week Later

That week, Ezra had the time of his life. It had been aaages since he was this happy, internally and externally. He was in a good mood from dawn to dusk, grinning like a madman while Sabine scowled at him from the dishwasher. Oh, life was sweet. No chores for a week (he had said two but she threatened to skewer him with a fork) AND he was going on a date with his favourite Mandalorian - not that he knew any others.

Heck, he remembered a time when he'd first bumped into the Ghost and she became his favourite crew member. She still was. The others caught up rapidly, in terms of fondness. But his like for her wouldn't change. It was growing. Even when she was being grumpy. Then he had to be the one to cheer her up. And he didn't mind that. Not one bit.

Now he and Chopper relaxed as Sabine washed up and continuously shot him dirty looks from the front. He just grinned away at her, and everything. What? It wasn't his fault he'd been given Force powers. Okay, maybe it was his fault that he'd cheated. Slightly. But who cared? He was going on a date with a girl! A cheesy, tacky date, nonetheless but a date! He'd never been on an actual date before. But it sounded great!   
Except he had no idea where they should go. Where would they get time to go somewhere when not on a mission? He was stuck for ideas. I'll figure something out, he decided. Until then, I'm gonna just chill out some more.

"Hey Sabine. You might wanna get that spot over there. I accidentally spilt some juice there. It might stain the panel, but you can probably get it out."

She threw him an especially dark look and mouthed several curse words that would have made Hera not happy at all. He tutted at her, and then Zeb came into the room.

"You two are up for an undercover mission. Kanan needs backup. Purnak's diner downtown," he growled.  
Ezra pumped his fist in the air.  
"Undercover? Awesome sauce. Not to mention that diner! I hear it's romantic," he wiggled his eyebrows at Sabine, who groaned. She had heard of that place, alright. It was an especially cheesy diner for couples who just wanted to stare into each other's eyes, all candies and heart and mushy stuff. Sabine loathed it.

Ezra, on the other side, had an imaginary lightbulb pop in his head. Maybe this is where we could have our date, he thought excitedly. He decided not to bring it up, though. No, he wanted it to be a complete surprise, and boy would he surprise her. Time for smooth Ezra to come out of his shell and not hit his head on a pipe!

Purnak's diner, 2:00

Kanan strolled towards the diner, confident even with his bandage on, and Ezra and Sabine trailed behind.   
"I don't like this, Kanan," Sabine warned as they got closer to the shady diner. For some reason, Kanan looked amused.   
"Why?" He asked. "Because it's sappy?"

She rolled her eyes and replied, "That, and because I don't trust Purnak. He'll think you're vulnerable."  
Kanan huffed. "Well, that's where he's wrong."  
Ezra nodded, skipping to them and putting a hand on Kanan's shoulder.  
"Right you are. And Sabine, you rarely trust anybody! Relax. Kanan's got us for backup."

She shrugged. "I trust some people. Just be careful. What do we do while you're getting the Intel?"  
Kanan continued to look even more amused.  
"Go undercover and wait for my signal. Stay alert, and if you see anything off, you know what to do. But try to blend in. And Ezra?" He asked the boy, who looked as though he was formulating a brilliantly evil plan - which he probably was.  
"Just.. Use your training," Kanan said, and then of all the things he could have done he smirked, and Ezra spluttered, "Uh - I don't know what you mean, Master, but I'll stay alert. Or try to."  
Kanan shook his head. "You know what Master Yoda would say," and then he strode into the back of diner, Sabine and Ezra going into the front.

"Alright. Act cool," Sabine muttered. Ezra flexed his muscles, mug to Sabine's chagrin (or, his overactive imagination told him, delight) and rolled his shoulders.

"Act? I don't need to act. Its in my blood, baby."  
Then he strutted in, taking Sabine's arm and puffing his chest. Sabine snatched her arm away and elbowed him.  
"You're ridiculous."

The diner was too bright, illuminated by neon lamps, and all manner of aliens and humans alike ate, drank, laughed and made out, most of the couples.   
A red head waitress approached them, hair tied and beaming.  
"Welcome to Purnak's diner. Would you like a couples table?" she asked, to which Sabine was about to bellow, "We're not a couple!"   
But Ezra intervened before she could, interlocking their arms and attempting a winning smile. "Yes, please. We'll take the booth over there."

Sabine stared at Ezra as the waitress led them to the table, and quickly smiled sheepishly at her whenever she looked.   
"What are you doing?" She hissed, and Ezra whispered back, surprised at his confidence, "Relax. Act cool, remember? Besides, you owed me a date, and now you got one."

Sabine cursed herself, breathing quickly and feeling strangely flustered. She then remembered what they were there for and scanned the room while Ezra got out the menu.   
As the waitress left, she lowered her voice as she spoke into the comm to Kanan, "All clear. No sign of any trouble. Yet."

Ezra relaxed and whipped open the menu. Finally! The girl of his dreams was with him on a date. An undercover, netted date, but a date nonetheless. And it was so, so cheesy!

"Great." He said, feeling very satisfied. "So what would you like to drink? I hear they do delicious milkshakes here. Wanna try one?"  
Uh oh. She knew that voice. That was his flirting voice. She could not believe he was setting up that date AND now everyone else thought she was Ezra's girlfriend, even if only for the day. Too much.

She raised her eyes to the ceiling, but decided to give in. It was a date, after all. And it was Ezra, not some creep. She might as well.  
"If it's not slime ridden, we might as well try one. Help us blend in," she said, and he grinned.

"How 'bout the chocolate chip one?" He asked, but she had spotted the caramel.   
The waitress came over again to find them squabbling over which milkshakes to get with the limited credits they had.  
Young love, she thought sunnily.  
"Have you made up your minds?" She asked.  
Ezra got another idea, and before Sabine could say anything he spoke, "We'll have one large caramel chocolate chip blend with the double straw. Isn't that right, hon bun?" He asked her, and wriggled his brows again, knowing that he was really going to get it later. Internally, Sabine was screaming, but she just replied in a forced sweet voice, "Well, that's a good compromise,"  
Ugh. Way to maintain cover.

Ezra looked as if he were about to burst out laughing, a great fat smile spread across his face as the waitress jotted down the order on her datapad.  
He was shaking with the effort.

When she went off, Sabine kicked him under the table saying, "Thanks for that, but I really don't feel like sharing with a bet cheater, hon bun."  
He only winced and snickered. "You know you love it. Ooh. Here comes the milkshake!"  
Sabine clicked her fingers in front of his face. "Mission! Keep your eyes off the milkshake for a second!"

He only grinned further, "Relaaax. I can sense it, remember? And it doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves. Oh, helloooo milkshake. Thank you, ma'am."   
He said this to the waitress as a giant milkshake was served with two red swirly straws. Sabine made a face at Ezra but smiled up at the lady.   
"That'll be ten credits for the jumbo shake," she said, and while Ezra paid she winked at Sabine and said, "Have a nice date now,"

Ezra slurped as Sabine flushed, "Mmmhh. That is good. Y'know, you'd better try some, because otherwise it is all mine. Plus, you have a swirly straw! You have to drink out of the swirly straw."  
She was skeptical until she saw the look on his face.

"Look, I'm not sick, and you don't have to if you don't want to. But it is really, really good. You're not gonna get food poisoning. It's not as if we're making out. Besides, we kinda have too keep up the act," he reassured her.

She might have refused until he said she didn't have to, and that was what she was really pleased with. Thank Ashla he wasn't some jerk who didn't think of her as someone with her own opinion. In fact, he pretty much thought she was completely out of his league - but with him at the bottom.   
So she accepted as he handed her the cup and she took a tiny sip, her eyes popping at the flavour.

"It IS really good!" She exclaimed, and Ezra's eyes sparkled. "What did I say?"

They really started to talk and enjoy themselves (not to mention buying popcorn) after that, until Ezra sensed a waiter come of the back and pick up a transmitter - an imperial transmitter, his eyes narrowed, but then he looked at Sabine, who was tying and failing to toss popcorn into her mouth.  
In his mind he groaned at the bad timing.

Then she hit him on the forehead with a kernel, earning her a scowl, and whispered, "There at 2 o'clock. See him?"   
Ezra smiled, relieved. He hadn't wanted to make it awkward, but this was okay.

"I see him. Spectre 1? There may be trouble. The Empire is probably in its way thanks to some waiter who saw you at the back."  
Kanan replied with, "Copy that, Spectre 6. Get out of there now."

They got up to leave, as they ran out Sabine realised, along with a pang of disappointment that is was over, that their date actually felt like a real date - with someone she trusted and who she could laugh at until her sides split. Maybe going out with Ezra wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Well that was fun. Let's do it again sometime, huh, Wren?" He asked cheerfully, and for once, Sabine smiled back.   
"We'll see if you can beat me at another bet. How about now?"


	30. Chopper Cam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra told her he loved her every day. Just not in the way she expected, and not in the way he wants to. Well, until Chopper lends a hand...

Ezra had found out from a very young age (9, to be exact) that if you showed you were scared, it meant that you weren't going to survive, especially on the streets. Food might have been low, very low, and he had started to steal, but he couldn't show how frightened, alone and hurt he really felt. So he begun to wisecrack, josh around, snark off when he really wanted to curl up into a ball and sob. It worked. People might not take him seriously, but at least they weren't kicking him into dust if they'd seen how he really felt.

And so an innocent, terrified little kid grew up into a sarcastic teenage con artist. The sarcastic part carried on even when he joined the Ghost crew. By now, Ezra was used to hiding dangerous feelings and making them funny, and when he met Sabine, well, that was more or less the same. Except for one thing.

Ezra couldn't decide when and where he'd fallen in love with Sabine. Maybe it was when she'd given him his birthday gift, the only one of the crew to do so, and every year since. Maybe it was every time she caught him and said, "I gotcha!" when he fell, like when they'd met Rex, Gregor and Wolffe. Hell, maybe it was even the first time he saw her face as a skinny reckless fourteen year old who didn't know what love was like at the time, because he'd been deprived of it for so long. And he'd been saying 'I Love You' every time he spoke to her, and she would never even know.

Little things. Sometimes it was flirting and joking around.   
"Caf for the light of my life?" He'd ask, and she'd give him an exasperated smile in return and something equally snarky back. When they had a night mission aboard the Phantom, and he'd tease her, "c'mon, it's not like you need the beauty sleep," and then quip about how he, Ezra, needed it even less.   
"No, you need a beauty coma," shed retort, and they'd laugh it off. Well, he would.

Other times, it was simply him, subconsciously, putting a hand on the back of her seat as she flew the Phantom or sat in the Ghost and had a meeting.

But, aside from all of that, he couldn't put it into words, what he really felt and meant. He didn't know why, exactly. It could be that he was afraid of rejection, mostly - afraid that she'd never love a guy like him, although it looked less like that every day that passed. It could also be that he wished she saw how much she meant to him, and that when he looked at her it was like she was all of the planets, suns and galaxies above, and he was just there stargazing. He didn't know what to do,

Sabine was in Ezra's room, poring over his helmets. He had gone with Kanan for 'Jedi Stuff' and they would be gone for a few weeks. A few weeks! She missed him. More than she liked.

Sure, he'd gone before, but never for this long. She remembered the last real conversation they had before he left, and it hurt her to think about it. He'd decided to eat with her in her room for once, and she didn't push him away.  
They were talking, as usual, and he'd flirted, again.  
"Although if you said the word, I'd beg Kanan to stay."  
She'd joked along, but for once something prompted her to say, only half jokingly, "Do you ever say what you mean?"

Ezra had stretched, looking only slightly less amused.  
"Of course I do. What, you don't think I'm being sincere?"  
She had shuffled. "Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it's all a game to you."

He scoffed, though for some reason his eyes welled up with something sadder - and that wasn't right for him.

"If it is, I think I'm winning. And if it's not, well, at least believe me when I sat that I'll be back before you know it. I'm not gonna let some inquisitor take me away from you!"

She shook her head. As always he'd turned something serious into a ball of amusement, annoying or not. She often reacted the same way when he wasn't around, but this was different.   
"Okay, Bridger. I'll take your word for it this time."

There was tension in the air that night as Ezra said goodbye. Sabine felt she had to say something. She hated it when they left now. She never knew after Malachor that something even more precious would be lost than eyesight. She didn't want to lose him altogether.

"So... It's time, huh? You know, a year ago I wouldn't have believed id be saying this but... Don't be gone too long. It's not the same without you."

His eyes widened, the surprise evident in his face. He looked like he wanted to say a lot more, but seemed to struggle and choke on his words.  
"Like I said before. I'll be back, 'Bine. I do mean that. So try not to miss me too much."  
His lips twisted into a wry yet dad sort of smile, shouldered his pack and waved goodbye. Her heart had ached with a different kind of burn ad she realised that she would miss him.  
She had a million regrets that day. Why hadn't they just told each other what they really felt?

Sabine took a deep breath and prepared to exit Ezra's room. She had other things to worry about - shipments to assist, walls to paint, imperials to knock over.  
Chopper wheeled in then, caught sight of Sabine's forlorn expression and let out a low blarp.  
Sabine turned and replied, "Hey Chop. No, I do. Not miss him that much - just a little. But I've gotta go help Sato!"

Chopper made a bunch of dry beeps, and Sabine tensed up. "No - I - ust not like that! No I do not like him back!" Chopper shook his head, unconvinced.  
Her eyebrows knitted and she groaned. "Okay, so what if I did? I'm eighteen, and it's not like he'd take it seriously - we're in a war for kriff's sake! Besides, it's not like - it's not like I could. I'm not good at this stuff."

Chopper warbled sadly as he headed for the door. Then he stopped dead in his tracks, as if he'd been shocked with one of his own electric prodders.  
The astromech beeped urgently, and banged his head with his arm. Sabine felt a little concerned.   
"What is it now, Chop?"  
She reached down to stop him and said, "Slow down there, cranky. What do you mean?"  
Chopper buzzed again, and she was confused. "You want to show me - wait, what?"

The droid's camera widened, and the holo projector lot the dark room pale blue and white. She saw herself through Chopper's eyes, painting him electrocuting Ezra and laughing to herself.   
"You like it?" Holi-Sabine asked him, and Chopper tittered, turning towards a familiar floppy haired padawan leaning against the door. Chopper focused on Ezra, who had a strange look on his face as he observed her paint. Sabine's mouth cell open a little as she watched.

He was smiling slightly, what one might call a usual lazy grin - but his eyes have him away. They were filled with something as he gazed at her, something she couldn't quite describe. Something like affection, or longing maybe, and it made her insides flutter. Whatever that something was, it startled her; it wasn't often that she caught him looking at her in such vivid detail like - well, like that.  
And she couldn't believe Chopper of all people had got it! Normally, she wild have just brushed it off, but this was electrifying. All the nervous, mischievous energy. He had was focused on one point: looking at her. The look was deep, molten and spilling over with that something.

She saw Holo-Sabine turn and ask, "So what do you think, clumsy?" And he snapped out of it, rubbing the back of his neck and recovering with a reply,   
"Of course! I looked cooler in the actually situation, obviously. But it seems you like it too."

Chopper's camera paused, giving her time to wonder what he was showing her. Then it fast forwarded, and her confusion slowly cleared up as he showed recordings of Ezra looking at her like that whenever she wasn't watching, as if he were staring into her soul.   
Her eyes widened, and slump formed in her throat. Oh. She knew what that 'something' was now. She knew why he did the things he did. Why he helped and flirted and teased bet - and how he hadn't had just a teenage crush on her for all of this time. She always knew, but she never believed it. Until now.

The last clip was Ezra watching her prep the Phantom from afar. This time he spotted Chopper recording him. Ezra started up, frozen in place, and Sabine could see him think uh-oh: caught!!!  
Chopper clacked, and Ezra coughed.  
"I wasn't - you didn't see anyth - um - Chopper delete that!"  
Chopper whirred and chirped teasingly, and Ezra scowled. "What do you mean 'can't hide it forever' - I wasn't hiding anything! I mean - I wasn't even doing anything in the first place."

Chopper sang a high note, as if to say 'denial!'  
Ezra groaned and slumped to the floor. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You can't tell anyone. I mean it, Chop, or you're going in the trash. Only Zeb knows a little bit. Even Kanan's sensed it, somewhat. He told me it was a good thing, but just not to let it control me. Hell, even Sato's gonna figure it out if these keeps up!"

Chopper patted him on the shoulder, letting out a low whistle. Sabine's eyes welled up again as he said,   
"This is the best and worst feeling in the world. I mean, I'm no Lando, Chop. She doesn't even think I'm serious, or that I mean it. But I do! I just... I can't show her in the right way. I wish she could see that I feel like - like this. Chopper, I think I... I think I love her. And I don't know what to do."

Sabine gulped as it hit her, finally, after all this time. He loved her. Fooling around, joking and flirting because he loved her. Trying to protect Eve even when he didn't need to and having her back because he loved her. Diving to stop a blazer bolt because he loved her. Oh. OH!  
The recording shut off, and Chopper beeped solemnly, like he was saying, 'now you know.'  
She didn't know what to do, either. All she could do was wait, and tell him how she really felt.


	31. I 'Snark' You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sequel to chopper cam. No description needed.

Ezra was back. He was safe, Kanan was safe, alive and well. They quickly settled back into the rhythm of things with the Rebellion and the crew - so nothing had changed! Except, well, just about everything.

Because Sabine now knew. She knew that he felt even more deeply than she'd realised for her, and even more so she had come to terms with the fact that she was starting to feel the same way. And boy, she had it bad.

Now every time he turned a corner and flashed that smile her heart jumped, and she smiled confusedly back, her stomach fluttering.  
She felt heat rise up her neck whenever she saw him train with Kanan or use the force and Chopper tittered smugly. Chopper was the biggest pain in all of this. He made sure she noticed when Ezra gazed at her or made a joke directed at her, and it was infuriating.

Ezra's jokes, his smile, his laugh, the way his hair flew in the breeze and everything about him that made her want to either punch him or kiss him. Oh, come on, did she actually think that? She tried to hide it as best she could. But she wasn't sure how long she could keep the act up.  
Unfortunately for her, Ezra caught wind of it as soon as they had their first proper conversation.

"So, did you miss me or did ya miss me?" He asked, taking up his usual residence on the door frame. She jumped, startled, and he raised his brows. This was new.

"What's that supposed to mean? Either I missed you or I didn't. Which one do you think it is?"

He flashed that maddening grin of his, which rubbed her up the wrong way now that she knew what it meant both ways.   
He propped his head up with an elbow on the door.  
"I think that clearly, you missed me. Well, I'm right here now Wren, so you can claim this ish for yourself and be happy."

She huffed, rolling her eyes and looking away as she said, "You're still not funny, Bridger."  
He cocked an eyebrow. Since when had she ever acted like this? He sensed tension and anxiousness around her.   
"I so am funny!" He replied indignantly. "And you know it. Besides, what's up with you today? You seen kind of... jittery."  
Ack, Sabine thought, and she shrugged. Curse him and his Force sense! He could always spot those little details about her. When they met Ketsu, on a day to day basis - he was too observant.

Suddenly his eyes lit up like a bulb, remembering something.  
"Oh! Brough you back something, by the way."  
She was perplexed. "Really?"  
He raised a hand. "Hold up for one sec."  
He sprinted to his room and she recollected her thoughts. Approximately ten filthy Mando'a cusses were swirling around in her head right now amid her feelings. How could she tell him? How could she reassure him that she knew and that she felt the same way? She's practiced this reunion a hundred times over in her head while he was gone, and all of it seemed to fly out of her head as soon as he got near her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ezra got back, data file and headphones in hands. He said, "Listen to this," and plugged in his own pair. He watched Sabine as she recognised the song, her eyes wide and the corners of her mouth uplifted in a smile. It was a very old song, sung by the Bith Brothers and full of spirit. She loved it, tapping her feet and swaying to the rhythm, and Ezra joined in, creating some ridiculous moves of his own: gyrating his hips, pushing his nose and waving down to the ground. She couldn't help it. She belly-laughed, and he raised his voice through the song, "See? I am funny!"   
She shook her head, in fits of laughter. It was impossible to feel awkward for too long around him in moments like these. Here he was just too easy to be around. They grabbed each other's hands and swirled each other crazily, and then when Ezra stepped in her feet accidentally she poked her tongue out and trod on his. It was clumsy, messy and completely uncoordinated, but it was made of raw, untainted joy that couldn't be stopped.

As the song began to end he tripped over his feet and fell (surprise, surprise), dizzy from all the spinning, went "Woah!!" and collapsed with laughter, pulling her with him. The song ended, their headphones off, and they stared into each other's eyes, Sabine on top of him.  
She went red from her head to her toes, and expected Ezra to make a snarky comment. When he did, however, she was touched by the amount of softness that lay in his eyes, and the way he blushed as he said, "Huh. Maybe tripping did come in useful this time."

She raised her head. Half of her was screaming, "Flirt back!" and the other half, "TELL HIM THE TRUTH!" She decided to settle for the first half (though she didn't know how to flirt properly) and see where it went.  
"Maybe it did," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. The surprise was evident in his face, and then his fingers moved, as of the Force flowed between them - which it probably did. He breathed in. Breathed out.

He started slowly. "Sabine - remember when you asked if I ever meant what I say?" Her heart was a humming bird knocking wood at a thousand times per second. She nodded, shame burning at her because she knew what he really felt. He continued, "Well, you should know that... When I was in the cave - the Force cave, I mean - and I had to anchor onto something to keep the dark side at bay I, um, -" he paused, and she couldn't breathe.  
"The thing that kept me together was, was you. To know that I had you, and your smile, to come back to. Maybe it won't affect you, but I mean it. One hundred percent, all the way I mean it."

Sabine bit her lip, frazzled. She wondered how she would have reacted had she not known. Their faces were so close, she didn't know what to say.  
"Ezra, I - l-"  
She was cut off by the alarm sounding, ripping through the moment, and the two of them jumped up. She slammed herself against her mind's wall. Why did all the forces keep jumping between them? All she knew was that the truth had to come out somehow. And when it did, it would set her free.


	32. First Last Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, it's all in the title. The third parter to Chopper Cam. They're on a mission, and Ezra, Chopper and Kanan have to escape into the Phantom. There's no time for too many words and sorrows - will Sabine tell him how she feels? Before it's too late....

Springing into action without a fully formed plan was no new thing for the Ghost crew. But they'd become larger in number, this rebellion, thanks to Captain Hera and her A Wings, Sabine and the Protectors as well as Sato's people. Now, with stormtroopers led by Agent Kallus aiming straight for them, they had a plan - a risky plan - to get Ezra and Kanan off-world, just like on Garel, and regroup.

Ezra and Sabine were now off the rooftops, Ezra force-jumping through the air and Sabine shooting up with a newly found jet pack, taking a leap onto the back of the wind and touching down in a milky billow of smoke and steam. Ezra drew his lightsaber, and Sabine raised her blasters. The padawan rolled his shoulders, eyeing up the enemy.

"Well, they've outdone themselves this time," he quipped. "Sand troopers, chicken walkers - heck, even AT-ATs!"

"The whole shebang, then," Sabine replied.  
"Should be a piece of cake!"  
Ezra grimes devilishly at her, and the scene around him.  
"Sure, as long as there's no spiders around," he spoke into the comm.  
Zeb grunted from the cargo bay, "That was one time, kid. One time!"

Sabine's eyes sparked, and she realised she was slightly enjoying herself, even as the imperials were closing in. She decided then that there was no one she'd rather be with right now.  
"You got my back?" She asked, and they turned so their backs were together and weapons pointed at the surrounding troops. His reply was not what she'd expected.  
"Always."  
And then they really did spring into battle. They moved effortlessly as a team, two parts of a whole. Ezra leapt into the foray with his lightsaber, effortlessly knocking down stormtroopers without touching them. Sabine, to his right, shooting and kicking their feet from underneath them as Ezra moved, reaching out to the chicken walkers approaching. "This one's all yours!" She called, and he flashed a small smirk before saying, "How 'bout you do the shooting and I'll do the dirty work?"  
She snorted, "Don't you always?" and he tried to do what Kanan did, cutting down the legs, but the walkers began firing away, and he dodged the shots.  
"Cover my butt!" He yelled, and her eyebrows flew up before instinct took over and she waved at the walker.  
"Over here, bucketheads! Stop hiding and face me like men!"  
Bad move, she intoned as it turned on her, started the chase and she fired bolts upon bolts but it kept coming. One shot hit her, she knew, and she could kiss her butt goodbye instead of covering Ezra's (gods, he would tease her about that later).  
As if from the sky, Zeb came to the scene, roaring as he promptly jumped onto the walker and reached inside.   
"Incoming!" He shouted, and she stunned a trooper who was flung off by the Lasat, who now grinned wolfishly as he commandeered the chicken walker.  
"Always wanted to try one of these things! Now go get Ezra!"  
She gave him a two fingered salute and sprinted towards Ezra, where he was ducking and dodging and trying not to get shot while Zeb pulled off his distraction, and the other troopers focused on the big guy.

He arrived at the Phantom, and Sabine couldn't help feeling she might not see him for another while. And she knew right then and there that she had to tell him how she felt, before it was too late. But something held her back, and she knew it could never happen. She didn't want any more pain.

"Sabine - " he began, but she cut him off, before she could feel worse. "Go."  
Ezra turned to face her. She was so close he couldn't stand it. She still smelled of those wonderful Jogan blossoms and spices - and he thought he'd never smell anything that good again for as long as he lived.   
"I - you know the drill. I'll be fine. I'm coming back for you."  
She nodded. Her eyes were red, but it was hard for Ezra tell in the dark.  
"I know that. But you, you need to come back safe. No more sight lost or - or collateral damage. Don't give me any stupid excuses or - or false promises."

He butted in, looking more determined than she'd ever seen him.  
"How about a real, sincere promise? Because I'm telling you now that I'm coming back. You know why? You know how? Because! Because you are the reason I'll always have someone to hang onto, to come back for. Because I lo-"   
And then she did the thing he never expected her to do in a million, billion years. She took hold of his face in her hands and pulled him into a kiss, which completely and utterly rendered him speechless.  
He'd never actually kissed anyone before, let alone have anyone kiss him - despite all his flirting and trading, terrible as it was. But now this feisty, artistic Mandalorian with beautiful brown skin and eyes the colour of falling leaves set alight, and whom he thought would never like him back, was kissing!!! him!!!  
There were no more things that should have been said, no communication lapses and words that wouldn't come out. For a moment, he didn't know what to do with himself. Then, as if woken from a dream, he took hold of her hands and kissed her back, the feeling that he was flying rising tighter and higher. Electricity pulsed through him, shocking his system and coursing through his veins. For a second, their hearts beat as one. There were no more ifs.

They broke apart, and Ezra was stunned. Blown away. Shell shocked. He couldn't actually believe what had just happened, that his wildest dreams had just come true.

"If you die, I'm gonna kill you," she muttered, and he choked out an "uh," before stuttering, "Okay."  
His voice came out squeaky, and and a moment passed. Then she wrapped him in a quick hug and pushed him into the Phantom.  
"Get going, Bridger - before you make me do something else stupid."   
The doors shut, and Chopper started up the Phantom, and they soared up into the horizon.

Later

Eza sat in a daze. He couldn't believe it. She... She knew? And she reciprocated his feelings? What? Was? Happening? Today?

He touched his lips. Then something hit him.  
"Chopper!?" His voice came out strangled. "Did you.. Did you by any chance.. Show her?"

Chopper warbled an 'don't kill me it was for your own good' series of beeps and hoops, and Ezra sat back, exhaling. Well, he thought breathlessly, at least now I have something else to look forward to! If it actually happened, that is. Did it? I really hope so. I'm in the mood for more kisses today.


	33. Be With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final - and I MEAN final - part to Chopper Cam. Ezra is in the medbay, having been badly scratched up, and when he opens his eyes Sabine is there - and they have some stuff to discuss!

Sabine wasn't sure how badly she felt after Ezra was sent to the medbay, having come back with scabs and bruises from taking a big hit for Kanan. Kanan, blind Kanan, who sensed the ship coming from behind until yet again Ezra saved the day, without his lightsaber for once, from an oncoming Imperial scout who had caused the Phantom to almost the ground, and Ezra with it. However, as the door opened and Kanan was falling out, he had Force pushed him back inside and Chopper had taken the reigns, before Ezra had hit the ground from ten feet high. Not the worst, in terms of his usual falls - he had cushioned himself with the Force, but he wasn't so skilled on that front yet.

Now she sat on Ezra's bed - he hadn't suffered too badly, unlike Hera had back in the day, and with no permanent damage, thankfully. He just needed a lot of rest.

Sabine held her head in her hands and let out a choked sound. Stupid, crazy boy with his stupid crazy promises! And the feel of her fingers in his hair, his lips on hers, his arms tangled with hers - agh, she needed to stop! Her feelings were getting out of control now. There was no point brewing over it - she just needed him to wake up. If he did wake up. But, oh, how she wanted to tangle her arms in his again, and kiss him till the universe ended and beyond...  
And how she wanted for him to flirt and light up her day once again.

She stroked his forehead, the small little scrapes and cuts marring his face, his cuter than cute, sleeping face; who's muscles were now twitching and eyes were now blinking themselves open and- oh, kriff, he's awake!

Ezra blinked, coughed, and then smiled adorably as he saw Sabine leaning over him, and said throatily, "You gonna come here and kiss me better or what?"  
She gasped, omitted a little shriek of, "Ezra!" and pulled him into a fierce hug, tears in her eyes. He patted her back and squeaked, "I'm okay - it's - ow, it's alright, I'm here now. I'm back."

She pulled away and breathed, "You're okay! You came back!" And then she punched him, a little softer than before but it was a punch nonetheless. "What were you thinking! You moron. Taking a dive from ten feet! Sacrificing yourself and -"

He butted in, "And looking good doing it, thank you very much, as the hero of the hour. I'll be here any day, all week, just not today because as you can see I'm clearly - "

She stopped him with a kiss. He made a loud, surprised and very satisfied sound before kissing her back eagerly, all the pain slipping away until there was only her and nothing else. She lifted off, and he looked dazed, drunk with happiness and weariness.  
She felt surprisingly satisfied. "That's a good way to shut you up."  
He made a strangled gulp.  
"Did I ever mention how much I love it when you do that? Because I'm telling you now, I do love it. Very much."

They beamed at each other, Ezra all scrapes and flashing white teeth. Then he spoke up again, his voice cracking a little when he said, "So... What are we now?"  
She paused, considering it for a moment.  
Then she felt fluttering in her chest as she spoke carefully.  
"Well... Now that I've just kissed you and you basically declared your feelings for me the day before yesterday, I'd say that makes us a couple, wouldn't you?"  
He wheezed. "You mean - you mean you feel the same way?"

She traced his cheek and smiled shyly, with a twinkle in her eye. "Took me a while to realise it, Bridger, but you know I couldn't ignore your hotness forever, could I?"

His eyes lit up and he pumped his fist in the air.  
"Aw yeah!! You know you couldn't! Wait - before we do anything else, do I or do I not disassemble Chopper?"  
She laughed, a pure, joyous sound that made her think of the future even more dearly for once. "I don't think so. He's the one who got us together, after all."

Ezra whistled. "Together. Together... Oh, man. You and me, me and you... Together! You sure you wanna do this, Wren?"  
She took his hands. "I think that now, anything's possible. So.. I do wanna do this. And it's gonna be a real ride, but it also might be fun,"

He beamed a real, happy smile, like all of his dreams were being fulfilled at once.  
"Hell yes, it's gonna be fun! Now, where were we? I have a feeling you owe me a lot more kisses..."

She obliged, and the world seemed to fly by as their lips met, and sparks tingled all over his body again. He had been waiting for this for so long he didn't even think this was possible, but it was. And so he mustered the courage to whisper, "I love you, 'Bine."  
Her face was alight with happiness. "I love you too,"  
Then she paused, wrinkled her nose and grinned. "Stinky."  
He grinned.  
"I do stink... Of awesome!"  
And didn't she know it.


	34. Shortcake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra finally (finally) gets hit by the puberty train and grows taller than Sabine. Will he boast about it? Yes, he most definitely will. In the most Ezra-I'm-gonna-kill-you-if-you-carry-on-being-annoying way possible. Of course, it doesn't help that Sabine definitely shouldn't like what she sees - but she does!

This was a pivotal day in the Ghost crew's history. Legends would be told of this day, and of how the cocky smartass Ezra Bridger woke up one morning, bleary eyed and tousle-haired; finding that as he grinned at Sabine, he was grinning down at her.  
She gasped. He stared. Slowly, she raised a hand and tried to make it level from her forehead to his - only to find that he was inches out of reach. Ezra's mouth opened slightly, and the corners twitched before spreading into a maddening grin. Sabine swallowed.

"No freaking way," she   
breathed. The padawan grinned even wider as she measured again.  
"Yes way. You know what I'm gonna say."  
She narrowed her eyes into slits of annoyance.  
"Do not say it."  
He put a finger to her lips, effectively shushing her and making her only more disbelieving and prickly.  
"I am taller than yooooooooou!" He sang, as if to the high heavens.

Sabine groaned, and she heard Chopper, Zeb and Kanan chortling. Kriff. It had started. The endless array of boasts and bad puns. She walked out to get more food, steaming, and be followed her, poking fun relentlessly and dancing around her.

"Bet'cha never saw this day coming did you, huh? Who ya calling short now, shorty?"  
She raised both eyebrows, hands on hips.  
"Did you just call me... Shorty? Look at you, you big hypocrite!"  
He smirked and folded his arms, all smug now.  
"You know I did, shortcake. Bitter days are coming your way, my small friend."  
She scowled at the name 'shortcake' and even more so when he leaned down and propped an arm on her shoulder. "Ahh. You make the perfect arm rest."  
She glared at him.

"Y'know, I could take that   
arm and put you on the floor before you ever realise. You're not that much taller than me."  
Ezra grinned even more smugly.  
"But you won't. I know you won't. You like me too much."

Sabine shook her head at him, and a trickle of warmth formed a pool in her abdomen. How did tallness suddenly... Suit him? His eyebrows were raised, his arm wrapped around her shoulder and his expression full of mischief.  
Height had been a small point of pressure in his life, mainly because of malnutrition in the past 7 years, but now he was growing again. And Sabine seemed to like this fact a lot.

His limbs were not scrawny but lanky, and though he was only a few inches taller he seemed to be towering above her. His hands were slightly bigger, too. And, oh, how he wanted to show off about it.  
Reaching for paint cans before she could, and holding them inches above her head while laughing to himself as she elbowed him and grabbed them, growling.  
"Don't mind me, 'Bine. I know you like me flexing for you!"  
"Ezra, you have nothing to flex!"  
He was a total annoyance, and boy, did he know it.

"So is it just me or do I need a foot stool? Because you would make a pretty good one." Ezra asked, interrupting her train of thoughts the next day.  
Sabine snored, replying, "Is it just me or are you in need of less food?"  
He pouted.

"Hey, I'm a growing boy! Besides, taking food off Zeb's plate is the least I can do for the big guy. He needs healthier life choices. And you need footstool duty. It's a win-win situation for everybody."  
She poked him on the forehead, and then the nose, making him scrunch up his face adorably with an "OW!" of indignation. She sniffed. Serves him right.

"Oh yeah? All this tallness is making your head swell. Kanan!" She called.  
"Does Jedi training involve shrinking? Because he really needs some."  
Kanan smirked. "Unfortunately, nope. Try inventing the shrink ray."

Ezra yelled, "Hey, you're the one who needs a shrink ray Master Ponytail."  
He slapped a hand over his mouth and Sabine guffawed as Kanan turned, tutting.  
"Look who's talking, Shaggy."

Sabine laughed uproariously while Ezra patted his hair reproachfully.  
"Ouch. That's gotta sting. Maybe you just used extra volume shampoo and poured it all over you - and boom! Growth spurt."  
She laughed even harder as Ezra scoffed.   
"What logic. Juuust because I have better air than you doesn't mean it's to do with height. I take pride in my flowing locks, for one thing. And it's also in the genes, Ewok."  
Her mouth dropped and she scowled. Ezra wanted to snort.

"You have a cute scowl. Maybe I should keep going," he offered as they sat for breakfast.   
"Ha. Try if you dare. Just because you have too much dark floppy hair doesn't mean you can insult mine!"  
He looked pleased with himself then, and she realised what was going on in his head.  
"Oh, so you like my hair! I should grow it all the way for you,"

She rolled her eyes. "Then you'd be the blue Wookiee. Actually no, you're not Wookiee height. You'd be the hairy Jawa."  
He burst out laughing then, and there was a fondness in his eyes as he looked at her again.

Keep talking, Yub Nub. I'd love to take the Phantom to Endor some time. You'd fit right in!"  
They tucked in, and she replied, "If Ewoks had armour and brightly coloured hair, then totally. But otherwise I think you'll find that we'd both be cooked in the fire!"

He lowered an eyebrow. "They'd love to eat me. I'm tall and delicious."  
He grinned, moving closer and she nudged him away.  
"You are too much, Bridger."  
Ezra leaned back, laying a leg on her chair.   
"Heh. Shortcake."


	35. Head over Heels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ezra is tripping over a bit too far than usual and Sabine is a little bit fed up with cleaning his injuries. Well, only a little bit.

Ezra was currently sat in what Kanan had dubbed 'Ezra's Clumsy Stool' with bruises on his arms, face and legs, and wincing as Sabine dressed and cleaned his wounds.   
"OW! Jeez, watch where you're putting that thing, 'Bine," he complained as she shushed him, applying antiseptic to his arm and bacta patches onto the darker, more serious gashes.

"Y'know, I wouldn't be doing this if you hadn't fallen down a elevator shaft!" She retorted, and he hissed in pain when she slapped the bacta on.  
"Not my fault. Still brought you some time though, didn't it? I mean, I was a pretty good distraction."  
She scowled. "How do you manage to fall over at every opportunity? You should be grateful these wounds aren't permanent."

The padawan tried to smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. "You - agh - you just don't like seeing me all bashed up, do you? I'll have you know I'm still hot. Smoking."  
She snorted. "Oh yeah. You're on fire. Next time maybe don't butt in trying to knock out the troopers I perfectly handled on my own and dive down a 20 foot shaft!"

He rolled his eyes. "Right. Don't launch yourself down an elevator shaft and nearly break every bone in your body. On purpose. Never would have occurred to me."  
She slapped another patch on his arm, and he squeaked.   
"I'm gonna need extra care after this. Maybe some spiced cafe, a jogun pie, cuddles - falling is a big thing!" He moaned.

Sabine grabbed another stool, huffed, and sat right up close to him. Ezra leaned his forehead against hers and sighed, a disgruntled yet pleased sigh of exhaustion.  
"Mmmmhmmm. Don't move. I'm doing an energy transfer."

She cocked an eyebrow and he wiggled his fingers mockingly. "Oh really? Cause I'm pretty sure Jedi can't do that."  
He leaned in further and muttered, "Who says we can't? You know I make you weak at the knees when you think I'm not looking."

Butterflies soared in her stomach as his warm breath tickled her nose. She cupped his cheek just as he leaned in to kiss her, and he pouted.   
"No making out for you, mister," she told him, and his expression resembled that of a lost Loth-pup.

"Aw, c'mon. It's the nearest thing I have to mess! Please? Make a boy comfy?"  
Sabine gave in them, grumbling, and ran her hands through his thick, dark hair, kissing along the curve of his jaw whilst he hummed in approval, sliding his arms around her and pulling her successfully onto his lap. Woah! Score one for the E-Meister! He intoned, and then all his thoughts turned to jelly as she traced his collarbone, then his neck and bruises.

"I wish I could reshoot that bucket head," she murmured, and Ezra replied shakily, "Him? Nah, I owe him one. Please, go on."  
Sabine rolled her eyes and kissed the bruises on his brow, his heel and his shoulder. He melted, "Ooooohh boy," and she smiled.

"Feeling better now, Clumsy?" She asked. He opened his eyes dizzily.  
"Uh, yeah - no, I think I need a little more treatment, Doctor Wren. A whole prescription, to be honest. "  
Sabine poked him on the nose, and he leaned forward again.   
"Come on then, you big baby."  
She smiled fondly. She remembered a time when she'd been too stubborn, to shy to do any of this. But they were older now. And she'd woken up to her feelings.  
The Mandalorian pulled him into a kiss. He gave her a big grin and kissed her back, feeling on top of the world despite his bruises. She opened her mouth to kiss him deeper, felt his arms wrap further around her and let go, only to say breathlessly,  
"No more tumbling down shafts for you, mister, or I'll have to knock you over myself."  
He was dazed, and his eyes shone. "Don't worry - I'm already head over heels for you."


	36. Patches of Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is filling in on those sabezra moments Dave FIloni forgets to put in. Kidding, kidding - love you, Dave. Never stop. I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS - I just add in some stuff. ;) Set after Holocrons of Fate...

Things had changed. A LOT of things had changed. Kanan, blind but slowly healing. Ezra, hair cut and more reckless than ever. Ahsoka, gone, and they didn't know whether she was alive or dead at the hands of Darth Vader. Sabine, armour and hair changed but personality still the same. And like the rest of them, she was concerned about Ezra. He was improving, healing himself, but it was going slowly. Too slow for her liking.   
Well, until the holocron exploded.

Darth Maul, that bantha-licking, destructive, vicious monster was the cause of all this. Taking Sabine, Hera and Zeb hostage only added to his list of "How to be a Bad Dude" which was already full to the brim. Heh, Ezra made up that one.

And connecting the holocrons was something that had shocked Sabine to the core. But what concerned her more was how Ezra was knocked unconscious because of it. He looked like a boy again, 17 though he was. Seventeen. Sabine couldn't believe how far things had come. And when he woke up, a feeling swelled in her chest that she only slightly tried (and failed) to suppress. She cared deeply - almost fathomlessly - about him now, and probably always would. Which was dangerous. But hey, when were their lives ever not going to be dangerous?

Bringing him home to the Ghost, he was still a little woozy. But there definitely was something different about him. And Sabine found that it made her much less concerned, because right away he started joking around - something he hadn't done for months. Months!

Sabine propped him on the stool as he clutched ice to his head. "Whoosh, head rush. There's some trippy stuff going on in those holocrons."  
She couldn't help but smile relievedly. "I'll never fully understand all that Jedi stuff but... Did you find what you were looking for?"

Ezra shrugged. "Holocrons are like most Jedi things - they never tell you what's what straight up. I can only guess that one day, somehow and somewhere we'll be able to defeat the empire. Until then, it's all Bantha fodder to me!"

They both laughed. It felt good to laugh, Ezra thought. He couldn't believe he hadn't done it for so long. He hadn't been himself - and he sure wasn't going to lose it now. He needed to listen to Kanan - who was he otherwise? Definitely not Maul's lackey. What Ezra wanted to do to that lowlife piece of scum he couldn't put in words. But, revenge wasn't the Jedi way. And he really did want to be a Jedi.

"Ouch," he moaned as she bounced on the sofa next to him.   
"Oh, stop whining you big baby."  
He scowled. "Hey, I am totally qualified to whine. Got knocked down by a craaazy Sith guy and a melded holocron. For your information, I have an official Whine Allowance Pass!"  
She snorted loudly, and he couldn't help but laugh again. There was a short silence as she brought in the rest of the meds and some chocolate, and he began to feel slightly guilty again.

Consumed with rage, sadness and mortifying guilt, over the last few months he had begun to push everyone away, including Sabine. Bossing her and the others around - what was he doing, trying to be a leader without Kanan to guide him?  
He needed to make things right, somehow clear up the air.

"So... Doctor Wren. Miss me all these months?"  
Sabine put a hand to her chin and scratched her fake beard, as he held his breath.

"Let me see. Some commando version of you acting like a jerk, strutting around bossing me and everyone else? Who wasn't talking to Kanan and WAS using that crazy Sith thing until what happened back there knocked a little sense back into you. We hardly ever saw you all those months, what with your training and being all high up in the rebellion and yada yada yada. So what do you think?"

He bit his lip, expecting the worst, and she punched his shoulder. The Mandalorian surprised him deeply with what she said next.

"Of course I missed you, dork. You haven't been yourself for so long, it's... good to see you joking around again."

Ezra raised his eyebrows, and his mouth spread in a wide, wide smile. "Seriously?"  
She reached out and touched his shoulder. "Seriously."

There was a moment where they stared into each other's eyes, and within Ezra's there was an apology.   
Sabine knew what he was trying to say without him having to say it. So she mouthed, "It's okay," and took his hand gently.

Ezra seemed to cheer up a lot after that.

"Well then, if that's the case, I'll be joshing around a whole lot more. You like my jokes."

Sabine rolled her eyes, "Okay, that is not what I said. Your head must be spinning from trauma, because I definitely did not say that."

He grinned. "You LIKE my jokes! HA, I knew it!!"  
She blew out a puff of air, exasperated.   
"Aaand he's back."

The padawan started a little tap dance, "You like my jokes, Hera's not mad at me, Kanan is okay, you like my jokes - it's gonna be alright!"

She laughed in disbelief, and he wiggled out of the room, waving his ice pack around, while Sabine told him to be careful as he nearly collided into the wall. Zeb pulled him onto his shoulders and lifted him up, "You feeling better now, kid?"  
"Yeah, even better once you put me down, big guy!"  
There's our boy, she thought, feeling that things were finally looking up, even just a little bit. Patches of light shone in the darkness, no matter how small, and made them feel that much better to light up the way.


	37. A Very Hoth Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A late Christmas fic, but here we are. Set way, way after Rebels and in the ESB timeline on Echo Base on Hoth. Sabine is dang cold, and Ezra thinks he can help her out...

Hoth, in short, was the most cold Sabine had ever been in her whole life - and she'd been cold before. But a winter's night on Mandalore was nothing compared to Hoth. Attilon was in stark contrast to this icicle of a planet, with the frosty breeze that danced around her ears and nipped at her nose as well as the bad breath of the tauntauns. Though they were only visiting for three days, she already felt like she was going to freeze. Despite the fun of ice and snow during the day, it was just too cold.

Ezra, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying himself amid the intense conditions. Despite being here for recon and intel, he managed to squeeze in snowball fights with practically everyone, including fierce competition with himself and Zeb versus Kanan and Rex. There was also eating - well, more like stuffing himself till he could barely move - dishes such as Wampa meat and drinking delicious Hoth chocolate with tauntaun milk in celebration of Wookiee Life Day. Lights with wreaths of leaves and fruit were everywhere, and Ezra took delight in bugging the older, more serious rebel pilots, bombarding them with questions about their X-Wings; the padawan wanted to fly them, of course.

Yes, Ezra was having the time of his life. Sabine was a little more glass-half-empty than he.

Night, Echo Base

"S' too cold," Sabine muttered subconsciously, turning in her bunk that seemed to shiver along with her. The icy wind that occasionally whisked through the halls chilled her to the bone, even with her warmest clothes on, and she was starting to wonder whether she'd get hypothermia. Happy Life Day indeed.

What she didn't realise was that Ezra could sense her discomfort, not to mention hear her sneezing, coughing and shivering. And so he decided that he was cold, too. What better excuse than to snuggle with Sabine? Besides, Kanan and Hera had each other. Zeb had his multitude of fur. And Chopper was a droid! Ezra was totally ready for some hero duty. He crawled out of his bunk and went over to hers.

Sabine opened her eyes wearily to find Ezra standing over her, hands on hips with a soft smile on his face. For some reason, she felt immediately comforted and aggravated at the same time, like he'd warmed her just by being there.   
"Pssst. Sabine!" He whispered, and Sabine noticed that despite the cold, the cocky Jedi had a gleam in his eye.   
"W-W-What?" She whispered back, her teeth chattering.   
"Mind if I join you?" He asked, and at the same time he realised how suggestive it sounded when her eyes bugged out and she went a fiery shade of red.  
"What?? Ezra, are you for real?" She asked tiredly.

He hastened to reassure her.   
"Not like that! Though you clearly thought about it. Just... contact. Survival one-oh-one! I'm cold, you're even colder. Relax. Don't you want all ten toes? C'mon. Scoot over, Sabinecicle."

She narrowed her eyes at h m and raised an eyebrow as he grabbed an extra blanket.   
"Did you really just cross my name with icicle? And besides, I d-don't need all ten toes, anyway."  
He shrugged, gently dealing the blanket over her.

"Suuure you don't. Is it me? Do I smell that bad? 'Cause you should know that I have finished puberty now."  
Sabine snorted. "You wish. You never grew up! And -ugh, fine. But the right side is my side. You aren't getting it."  
Ezra chuckled, "Picky, picky. Alright, it's snuggle time. You'll be sweating 'cause of my hotness before you know it."

He lay down beside her, and she was just formulating a sarcastic retort when she found that she couldn't complain any longer. He radiated warmth like a molten ray of sun. He turned to face her, resisting a full on whoop of joy.  
"You can come closer, Wren. I'm not a man-eating Wampa, you know."  
She scoffed, but couldn't help moving towards him, and his heat. He breathed out happily, closing his arms around her middle and making her sides tingle. The warmth enveloped her like a cocoon, and she wondered how exactly she'd got into this situation. It wasn't remotely like she'd expected.   
He didn't smell bad at all - more like hints of Hoth chocolate and orange, as well as that gorgeous scent of his that she couldn't name but, quite frankly, turned her on just a bit.   
His face was so close to hers, and when his sparkling blue eyes met her soft orange-brown ones, she reckoned they might not last the night.

Sabine didn't realise she was burying her face into his chest until he made a low noise of contentment. She pulled away, embarrassed, and he let out a chortle.   
"I didn't mind. We can still go for the snuggle sesh."  
She rolled her eyes. Earlier in the day, he had been all out teasing her about being cold - and with that, very bad pick-up pines which never ceased to crack her up. These included him sliding next to her at lunch with a, "Your lips are blue. Want me to warm them up for you?" and winking in a highly ridiculous manner. He knew, of course, that he looked ridiculous rather than suave and he emphasised it. His second one-liner was even worse:  
"It's so cold my mouth is numb - you should kiss me before we get frostbite."  
She had a feeling that if he said those now, however, things might get tense. And he was not going to make this awkward. So she shuffled to her side, and he shuffled the same way. She put her back to his stomach and felt him shift.

"Hmmm. This is good. Feels good to be the big spoon. Because you know we're technically spooning, right?"  
As he said this, he casually draped an arm around her, making her tingle even more. She opened one eye.  
"Please. You're the little spoon. I'm just freezing my butt off here."  
He laughed, which sent vibrations up his spine, and did little to set her hormones at ease. Although she was gradually slipping into her comfort zone at least.

He snuggled closer, the temperature outside dropping.   
"Your butt's anything but freezing to me."  
Her face flamed up, and she felt him laugh again. Now she didn't know if she wanted to kiss him or slap him. If she weren't so tired, that is.   
"Shut up, Bridger."  
He grinned, and seemed to get sleepier by the minute.  
"Mmmhmm. You'd like being the big spoon." He mumbled now. "Get to hold m'stuff."

Sabine flicked his shoulder. "And on that wonderful thought, it's time for you to sleep, Ezra."  
He yawned and managed to grin. "You know you would. You just like... being... close to me."   
Sabine felt herself drift into slumber, and, holding Ezra's hands around her, felt that she didn't want to be anywhere else. He nestled his face into the crook of her neck and as their breathing slowed and the warmth sunk in, the cold wasn't so bad anymore.


	38. Mistletoed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My second Christmas fic, and you can just guess by the title. Ezra really, really likes this thing called mistletoe. This is tale of Ezra trying (and failing several times) to get Sabine under said mistletoe. Will he succeed? Or will Zeb get the satisfaction of seeing him flop?!

ife Day. That one time of year when the entire base was lit up with iridescent lights twinkling in every nook and cranny, pine trees stacked around in places they shouldn't be, and glasses of egg nog scattered around the tables. The pungent aroma of cinnamon and spice curled around everything like fog on a cold morning; Life Day spirit was inescapable. Thanks to the Wookiees, it had become an enjoyable tradition to follow and celebrate. Sabine appreciated that, she did. But there was one aspect of Life Day she did not appreciate in the least, all thanks to one no good scoundrel by the name of Ezra Bridger.

That boy seemed to really like the mistletoe wreath, and definitely not for innocent reasons. Mandalorian culture did not have mistletoe, and neither did Lothali culture - but that didn't stop the padawan from adopting it. No, on the contrary, he had taken to somehow mysteriously putting mistletoe whenever he and Sabine were caught alone together. Case in point: the supply closet.

Sabine was simply strolling down the corridor of Echo Base, minding her own business, when Ezra caught her by surprise and whirled her around.  
"Quick - Chopper and Zeb are after me!"   
"What - why?" She asked confusedly. Ezra rubbed the back of his neck.

"I may or may not have fried Chopper's bolts by tipping Zeb's broth over him. Hide me!"  
Sabine rolled her eyes but spotted the dynamic duo down the corridor.  
"Ugh, I should just leave you to them," she grumbled.  
Ezra countered, "Yeah, but then you wouldn't be able to string me along, would you?"

Sabine snorted. He got cheesier and cheesier. "This way, sleemo."  
They jogged along, Sabine chortling as Ezra narrowly missed an electric shot from Chopper. The pair turned two corners when Ezra abruptly pulled her into a maintenance closet. Outside, Chopper whirred angrily, and the big Lasat growled. "Where is that slimy loth-rat? I don't care HOW tall you are now Ezra, you're still a little punk!"

Inside the closet, the light was on but had a dimmer. Sabine began to realise just how cramped this was as she turned towards Ezra accusingly.

"Oh, this was your idea all along, wasn't it Bridger? Drag me in here with you - a cramped, smelly supply closet - that's nothing original, you know. Been watching some of those romantic holo-vids lately or what?"  
Ezra grinned insolently and cocked his head.   
"Hey, for what it's worth, I used to make a living out of ripping off ideas and making them better. Speaking of which, you might wanna look...up."  
Sabine complied reluctantly and groaned as she saw the mistletoe wreath.

"Pucker up, buttercup." The mischievous Jedi laughed. Oh, she was about to tell him exactly where he could shove that thing when he turned the light switch off. She made an irritated sound and reached to turn it back on, but accidentally caught her foot over a toolbox and collided into him.   
"Woah there! You okay? Didn't think you were that desperate for a kiss," Ezra quipped, wiggling his eyebrows. She glared at him, but felt the ice melt away as she saw the warmth in his gaze. The attraction was building up inside her like a rising tide, and knew he could sense this when he let out a bubbly, nervous laugh. That didn't help their situation either, and before long they were gradually swaying towards each other in a manner that was all too familiar to her. Their lips were almost touching before a purple furred fist shoved open the door and yanked Ezra out of the closet, much to his chagrin.

"HO HO HO, what have we got HERE?" Zeb bellowed, and Chopper cackled.   
"Dude!" Ezra complained. "I was in the middle of something!" Zeb flashed him an evil grin.  
"Oh, you are now. Sabine, mind helping me hang him upside down by his undies?"  
He slung Ezra over his shoulders, and Sabine shook it off. "It would be my pleasure," she replied snappily. Ezra wouldn't try that again - if   
only for a couple of days.

Case 2: Base Entrance

This time, Ezra quite literally swung into action. He pounced on Sabine just as he saw her exiting the base towards the Phantom, and where a snowball fight had ensued between the rebel pilots. Sabine had decided to join in on the fun, and Ezra knew he couldn't let a moment like this one pass up.

Snowballs shot across the yard, pelting him in the face and across the chest like rocks. He finally got to Sabine, her gorgeous brown skin glowing and flushed, and he got her from behind with a snowball.  
She whipped around and saw him laughing mischievously.  
"Oh, it is ON, Bridger!" Sabine cracked her knuckles and Ezra laughed some more. "Gotta catch me first!"  
Then he threw another snowball - this time catching her on the nose. "Oof- EZRA!"

The padawan in question knew better than to stick around. He bolted back to the base with Sabine hot on his tail, pelting snowballs that he now easily dodged. Force sensitivity had a lot of perks, y'know. Finally, she launched herself onto him, sending them both crashing into the snow outside the base door and right into Ezra's mistletoe trap.

"HA! Got you!" Sabine gloated, sitting on top of him triumphantly. To her surprise, Ezra only gave her a lazy grin on the ground.   
"I think you mean I got YOU."

Sabine glanced to the right and gave another almighty groan mixed with laughter as she saw a giant mistletoe wreath above them.   
"Happy Life Day. You've been mistletoed! Now, shouldn't you kiss me better?"   
Sabine rolled her eyes to the clouded sky, and then gave in. Two could play at this game. She leaned in very close, to Ezra's delight, but paused just as he was about to kiss her and mimicked his voice, "Gotta catch me first."   
Then she jumped up and scurried away.

Ezra shook his head in disbelief and disappointment - so close! That girl was something. He would need to be especially sly in order to catch her.

Life Day:

The entire base was partying, and Wulfwarro and Kitwarr* were visiting the Ghost. Kitwarr was having fun playing with Ezra and Chopper, though he was about Ezra's size now, while Sabine was conversing in Shyreewook with Wulfwarro. Finally, they exited and the crew were about to go to a midnight party on a nearby ice lake Zeb had found on one of their misadventures.

Sabine was feeling that things were... quiet. Too quiet. Ezra had not approached her with mistletoe for four whole days. Either he'd given up or - no. She knew him, and if there was one thing Ezra Bridger wouldn't do, it was give up. So he was obviously planning something. And Sabine didn't mind it as much as she did. In fact, she slightly enjoyed the idea of being kissed under the mistletoe by the cocky Jedi; she just wouldn't let him know that yet. So she decided to play his game - he could kiss her, if he could catch her. And, as bucketheads knew well by now, she was near impossible to catch. Luckily for him, Ezra was one sneaky loth-rat. The question was: where and when would he strike? He'd abstained from it for so long that her guard had now lowered slightly.

They had all wrapped up warm and got outside when Hera treated them with skates - low tech ones, but comfortable all the same. Sabine was quite adept at skating, and even Zeb was getting the hang of it; he made big, sweeping movements while trying not to collapse. Luckily it was beautifully thick ice, so even Chopper could glide across it - even if he did crash onto a snowdrift.

Ezra, however, was all limbs and arms, spinning around everywhere and yelling, "WOAH!!"  
It was kind of maybe completely adorable, Sabine thought - then brushed it off. She finally gave in when he yelled, "Look, Sabine!" And spun around in middair, only to land on his butt. She skated over, and almost slipped from bursting out in laughter.   
Finally she stopped and couldn't quite decide.   
"Are you laughing or crying?" She asked, her voice rich with humour. Ezra shrugged sheepishly. "Bit of both. Care to join me on this fine, fine bed of ice?"

Sabine snorted loudly. "C'mon, loser. I'll teach you how to skate."  
She took his hand and helped him up, while he tried not to celebrate too much. Slowly but surely, they skated around, hand in hand, with Sabine stopping Ezra from falling. It was one of the most magical things Sabine had ever experienced. She noticed the way Ezra laughed, his bright teeth flashing against his copper skin. His nose was slightly pink from the cold, and his eyes sparkled again in the chilly breeze.

Ezra took her by surprise in the lead and exclaimed, "Yeah! I think I got this!" He skated ahead, only for Sabine to lose her balance. She tripped, but Ezra sensed this in time and caught her by the arms. She laughed awkwardly as he pulled her up, with Ezra saying, "Who's clumsy now?" There was a gentle look in his eyes as she dusted herself off. He was still holding her hand, and with his other arm he pulled something out of his pocket and presented it to her.

Sabine could not believe her eyes. Ezra held a tiny sprig of glistening mistletoe. She felt a little inclined to thwack it out of his hand but threw her head back in laughter instead. And really, what else could she do? This boy was the most persistent person she'd ever met.   
"What?" He asked. "I did catch you, after all. I think i deserve a kiss."

Sabine slowly met his gaze again. "You did," she reasoned. And then she quickly pecked him on the cheek. His eyes widened, and she blushed only slightly. Why'd I do that? She screamed internally. She hated being called a chicken, but she accused herself of that now.  
Then he surprised her. "You missed," he replied smoothly. Sabine raised an eyebrow and Ezra pulled her close, threw the mistletoe and kissed her. Really, really kissed her. Full on the mouth. Sabine felt like she could fly right then and there, like a bajillion lightning bolts had struck them all at once and she'd lift off into space. He'd mistletoed her, all right.


End file.
